Everything You Need to Know About 'The Dog Stars' With Jacob Elordi: Release Date, Plot & More

Ridley Scott, director of Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian, is working on a new movie – the post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars, based on Peter Heller's best-selling novel of the same name.

Jacob Elordi, star of Euphoria and Saltburn and an Oscar nominee for Frankenstein, plays the lead role. Although the promotional campaign is still modest, the film promises to be one of the biggest events of 2026.

Here's the premiere date, the plot, and who else will star in this promising story.

When Will 'The Dog Stars' Be Released?

Originally scheduled for a March 27, 2026 premiere, The Dog Stars was later pushed back. It will now be released in theaters on August 28, 2026.

The postponement is due to the studio's ambitions – The Dog Stars will be an awards contender, and an August release is considered more favorable for festivals.

With a budget of $110 million, the movie is half as expensive as Gladiator II, which is significant for a small-scale post-apocalyptic drama.

What Will 'The Dog Stars' Be About?

A pandemic has wiped out most of humanity. Hig (played by Jacob Elordi), a former pilot who used to pollinate cornfields, now lives in the hangar of an abandoned airport in Colorado.

His only neighbors are Bangley, a silent Marine armed with a sniper rifle who guards the base from marauders, and his faithful dog.

Every day, Hig takes to the skies in his aging 1956 Cessna to search for resources and any remaining survivors. One day, his radio picks up a mysterious signal.

The plot centers not on the apocalypse itself but on how people adapt to new circumstances. Heller's novel is closer in spirit to a Western than to science fiction – it's a gritty story of confronting bandits that incorporates both love and environmental concerns.

'The Dog Stars' Production & Casting Rumors

Paul Mescal was originally set to play the lead role, but he chose a Beatles biopic instead. Negotiations with Jacob Elordi began in January 2025 and concluded successfully.

Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong have also joined the cast of The Dog Stars.

Mark L. Smith, screenwriter of The Revenant, adapted the screenplay.