Ridley Scott has built a legendary career over the past five decades, directing countless classics that are defined by their visual mastery, staggering scale, and thematic complexity. From the claustrophobic dread of Alien and the rain-slicked, neon dystopia of Blade Runner to the roaring Colosseum of Gladiator and the survivalist ingenuity of The Martian, the iconic cinematic maestro has spent years crafting world-building masterpieces that continue to captivate audiences across generations. Now, the prolific filmmaker has returned to the sci-fi genre with his latest venture, The Dog Stars, starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin.
Adapted from Peter Heller’s acclaimed 2012 novel of the same name, The Dog Stars swaps out the cold space and cybernetics of Scott’s previous epics for a grounded, deeply intimate story about a civilian pilot named Hig (Jacob Elordi) and a hardened ex-Marine known as Bangley (Josh Brolin) as they team up to navigate a world hollowed out by a devastating global pandemic. With the movie’s release right around the corner, anticipation has reached a fever pitch to see how the veteran visionary handles a story that is as much about the fragile beauty of human connection as it is about the raw brutality of post-apocalyptic survival.
“Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is a riveting, epic thriller set in a world where survival is instinct, but humanity is a choice. Scott tells the story of Hig, a young pilot who, together with a military survivalist, Bangley, has carved out an efficient but isolated homestead in a brutal, post-apocalyptic world until a mysterious radio transmission spurs Hig to venture into the unknown in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exists.”
The Dog Stars held its official world premiere in London on Aug. 20, 2026, and 20th Century Studios has since hosted a series of early press screenings, leading up to the movie’s theatrical release on Aug. 28, 2026. Subsequently, the first reactions to the film have started to ramp up, as critics and industry professionals have voiced their opinions and delivered their verdict on Scott’s new sci-fi action thriller. The initial consensus reveals a sharp divide into two distinct camps, pitting praise for the movie’s emotionally-charged and grounded human drama against criticism of the story’s sluggish pacing and bloated runtime.
Social media commentators have described The Dog Stars as a welcome surprise that balances its human-centric focus on community with sudden bursts of ferocity and violence. Early reactions also praise the chemistry of the cast, particularly Elordi and Brolin, who anchor the movie’s post-apocalyptic setting. Film on Tap‘s Tom Chatalbash took to X to share their appreciation, calling the film a “highly entertaining and achingly raw post-apocalyptic knock out that thankfully leans far more human than apocalypse.” In the same post, they noted that it’s one of Scott’s “finest in quite a while.” Film journalist Gavin Spoors concurred, asserting that, “Scott has proven yet again that his finger is on the pulse when it comes to current themes.” Brandon Norwood stated that the film leaves “some questions,” but concluded that it’s Scott’s “best in a minute.”
On the flip side, several critics found that the direction was significantly hindered by an undercooked screenplay. “The Dog Stars is yet another example of how Scott is only as good as the screenplay he’s given, for as strong as his direction can be, or his proficiency at staging action sequences, or the performances he gets out of his stars, if the screenplay isn’t fully there, the whole film suffers for it,” stated Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture, while fellow critic Adam Patla also took umbrage with the movie’s “heavy-handed screenplay,” calling Scott’s latest cinematic venture “a well-made but utterly soulless apocalyptic tale that feels like a bunch of other stories that have simply done it better.” The HoloFiles agreed, labeling it “a painfully generic post-apocalyptic thriller indistinguishable from The Last of Us, 28 Days Later, and countless other stories.”
Whether The Dog Stars ultimately cements itself as a masterful evolution of Scott’s storied career or falls flat as an overly ambitious misfire depends entirely on what audiences want out of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi action thriller. Those seeking a raw, character-driven exploration of human resilience are championing its emotional depth, while others expecting a traditional, fast-paced Scott spectacle are walking away disappointed by its deliberate, slower pacing. This stark divide guarantees that the movie will be one of the most heavily debated releases of the year, and fortunately, general moviegoers will not have to wait long to pick a side and deliver their own verdict, as the film officially lands in theatres this coming Friday (Aug. 28, 2026).
- Release Date
-
August 28, 2026
- Runtime
-
119 minutes
