We all know Ridley Scott can seemingly be a bit hit and miss. For every Alien, there is a Prometheus. For every Gladiator, there is a Gladiator II. So is he now overdue for a hit? Will it be his latest project from 20th Century Studios – The Dog Stars?
The Dog Stars is an adaptation of Peter Heller’s acclaimed post-apocalyptic novel and stars Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce.
Elordi plays a widowed pilot named Hig who is one of the few survivors in a world devastated by a global pandemic. He leads a solitary existence in an aeroplane hangar, with only his dog and a gruff gun expert for company. Brolin stars as Bangley, the gun expert who doesn’t talk about his past.
Suddenly, he intercepts a transmission on his Cessna radio, shattering his quiet life and sparking a journey to uncover its origin and discover what else might be out there in the post-pandemic world.
Scott directs from a screenplay written by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant), who adapted it with Christopher Wilkinson. The budget is a relatively modest (these days!) $110 million, and it was shot in Italy.
Principal photography began in Bordano in April 2025. From May 12 to 16, filming took place in Cansiglio, a plateau in the Alpine foothills. Later that month, filming took place in Avezzano. In June, production moved to Rome, where filming took place at Cinecittà Studios and in Casal Bernocchi. They also spent a month filming in the natural landscape of Bosco Macchia Grande in Manziana, near Rome.
The Dog Stars is set to open in cinemas on August 28th.
