20th Century Studios and Disney have pushed Ridley Scott’s next film, The Dog Stars, to a late summer release. In November 2024, Scott announced that his follow-up to Gladiator II would adapt Peter Heller’s 2012 science fiction novel The Dog Stars. The story is set in a future after a pandemic wipes out most of humanity. It follows a man, his dog, and a lone gun as they encounter a transmission that hints at invaders.
The Dog Stars will now open on August 28, 2026, according to Deadline. Ridley Scott directs, and the cast includes Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, and Guy Pearce. The previous release date, March 27, 2026, has been reassigned to Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.
The film was originally scheduled to arrive the weekend after Project Hail Mary, another adaptation of a popular science fiction novel with a prestige cast led by Ryan Gosling and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The Dog Stars will instead close the summer movie season, releasing on the same weekend as Jaume Collet-Serra’s reboot of Cliffjumper. August 28, 2026, also sees the release of Coyote vs. Acme, a project that survived a long development period and will be distributed by Ketchup Entertainment.
Ridley Scott remains a prominent figure in cinema, with landmark work in science fiction such as Alien, Blade Runner, and The Martian. Some of his 2020s projects, including Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, generated mixed responses from fans. The decision to shift The Dog Stars to a late summer date may reflect studio confidence in the film as a potential box office draw and an attempt to avoid crowded spring opportunities from competing releases like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Drama, The Mummy, and a film starring Michael.
Scott’s recent track record has shown a mix of strong and weaker performances. The Last Duel gained critical praise but did not dominate the box office, while House of Gucci performed reasonably well as theaters reopened after the pandemic. Gladiator II succeeded financially, though its cultural impact may not match the original. The Dog Stars could prove to be a turning point for Scott, potentially matching the success of The Martian from about a decade ago.
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English (US) · 