The Dog Stars

The Dog Stars — Release Date: August 28, 2026. Directed by Ridley Scott, starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Studios, the film is a post-apocalyptic science fiction drama based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel of the same name.

Set in the aftermath of a devastating flu pandemic that has nearly wiped out humanity, The Dog Stars follows Hig, a former civilian pilot who survives in an abandoned airfield with his dog and a hardened ex-marine named Bangley. Years after civilization’s collapse, the two men maintain a fragile routine—scavenging supplies, guarding their territory from hostile outsiders, and holding on to the remnants of a world that once was.

Hig’s small aircraft becomes both a literal and symbolic lifeline. From the sky, he scans the empty landscape, searching for signs of other survivors and the possibility of something beyond isolation. When a faint radio transmission suggests the presence of life elsewhere, Hig faces a life-altering decision: remain in the safety of the known, or risk everything for the promise of human connection and hope.

The film explores survival not only as a physical struggle but as an emotional reckoning. Themes of loneliness, grief, moral compromise, and resilience shape the relationship between Hig and Bangley, whose contrasting philosophies—one driven by hope, the other by pragmatism—form the narrative’s emotional core.

Principal photography took place across Italy, including Alpine regions and studio work in Rome, bringing a stark, desolate beauty to the post-pandemic setting. With a focus on character-driven storytelling and atmospheric tension, The Dog Stars combines intimate drama with sweeping, contemplative visuals in its portrayal of a fractured world searching for renewal.