Ridley Scott's Dog Stars Trailer Debuts, Opens Aug 28
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- 20th Century released the first trailer for Ridley Scott’s post‑apocalyptic thriller “The Dog Stars,” announcing a theatrical debut on Aug. 28.
- Mark L. Smith adapted Peter Heller’s 2012 novel “The Dog Stars” for the screen, having previously written “Twisters” and “The Revenant.”
- Jacob Elordi stars as Hig, joined by Josh Brolin as Bangley and Margaret Qualley as Cima, in a story about a pandemic‑ravaged world.
- Ridley Scott returns to 20th Century Studios with “The Dog Stars,” his first film after directing “Gladiator II” (2024) and his earlier 2012‑2017 run that yielded “Prometheus” and “The Martian.”
- Ridley Scott pivoted to “The Dog Stars” after a planned Bee Gees biopic at Paramount was paused when the studio “changed the goalposts.”
- Paul Mescal was originally set to lead “The Dog Stars” but left in early 2025 due to scheduling conflicts with Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics.
- Jacob Elordi entered talks in Jan 2025 to replace Mescal as the lead, despite a packed schedule filming “Wuthering Heights” and HBO’s “Euphoria”; production began in Italy in Apr 2025.
Why it matters: 20th Century Studios gains a blockbuster to anchor its late‑summer schedule, and Ridley Scott regains a directorial platform at the studio after a multi‑year gap, drawing audiences to his new sci‑fi thriller. The trailer release signals the studio’s confidence in the genre, while Jacob Elordi’s casting after Paul Mescal’s exit underscores the film’s resilience amid scheduling challenges.
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