Ridley Scott Returns to the End of the World in Jaw-Dropping New ‘The Dog Stars’ Trailer
Post-apocalyptic cinema has always been fertile ground for the kind of sweeping, morally charged storytelling that the medium does best. From lean survival dramas to sprawling action epics, the genre has produced some of cinema’s most memorable imagery and characters. Now, 20th Century Studios is set to add another chapter to that tradition with ‘The Dog Stars’, described as a riveting epic thriller set in a world where survival is instinct but humanity is a choice.
The film is an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, brought to the screen by screenwriter Mark L. Smith, whose previous credits include ‘Twisters’ and ‘The Revenant’. The project carries a reported production budget of $110 million and is backed by Scott Free Productions alongside 20th Century Studios. Given the pedigree involved, anticipation has been quietly building since the project was first announced.
20th Century Studios has now dropped a brand new full trailer for the film, and it gives the most complete picture yet of the world Scott has built. The trailer finds Hig and Cima reminiscing about their old lives as the camera surveys a desolate, ruined world where roads have become makeshift landing strips for Hig’s yellow plane, which he pilots with his dog beside him. The new footage focuses heavily on the war between survivors, also revealing that Cima serves as a medic and Hig’s love interest, while Bangley fills the role of hardened ex-Marine and military survivalist.
Jacob Elordi leads the cast as Hig, a young pilot who together with survivalist Bangley has carved out an isolated homestead in a brutal post-apocalyptic world, until a mysterious radio transmission spurs him to venture into the unknown in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exists. Paul Mescal was originally cast in the leading role but was replaced by Elordi due to scheduling conflicts tied to Sam Mendes’ Beatles biographical films. Despite that rocky road to the role, Elordi appears fully committed to carrying the weight of what shapes up to be one of the year’s most ambitious productions.
The supporting cast reads like an awards shortlist, with Margaret Qualley of ‘The Substance’, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong of ‘3 Body Problem’, and Guy Pearce of ‘The Brutalist’ all joining Brolin in key roles. With multiple Oscar nominees and winner Allison Janney in the ensemble, early observers have already flagged the film as a potential awards season contender, noting its blend of prestige talent and emotionally driven storytelling.
The trailer’s arrival has already generated significant attention online, with the film positioning itself as one of the year’s most talked-about survival dramas. The production budget and the scale of Scott’s vision place considerable commercial pressure on the August release, but the premise remains compelling in its simplicity, tracking one man’s fragile hope in a world stripped of nearly everything familiar.
‘The Dog Stars’ opens in UK cinemas on August 26 and hits US theaters on August 28, 2026. Whether audiences are drawn in by the apocalyptic spectacle, the stacked ensemble, or the quiet emotional core of Hig’s journey, Scott appears to be swinging for something genuinely affecting here. If the new trailer is any indication, the question is not whether ‘The Dog Stars’ will make an impression this summer, but how deep that impression goes. So, are you flying toward this one or holding back the throttle? Let us know in the comments whether Elordi’s take on Hig has you convinced this could be Scott’s most emotionally resonant film in years.
