Don’t expect consensus — first reactions split critics on Ridley Scott’s new action sci-fi thriller

If there’s one thing Ridley Scott is known for, it’s not exactly keeping things small. Five decades on the job and he’s turned spaceships, Roman battles, and even a bloke stranded alone on Mars into massive, stylish viewing. Now he’s back with another trek into end-of-the-world territory with The Dog Stars, but this time there’s not a xenomorph or android in sight—just a couple of (extremely miserable) blokes trying to survive after humanity’s gone to pot.

From Space Opera to Survival Drama

Scott isn’t remaking Alien or Blade Runner here. Instead, The Dog Stars, based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, is all about stripped-back survival and awkward alliances. Jacob Elordi (yes, the lanky heartthrob from Euphoria) plays Hig, a civilian pilot with a talent for not dying, while Josh Brolin is Bangley, an ex-Marine who’s basically the poster child for grumpy apocalypse neighbours. With the world flattened by a pandemic, the pair have carved out a fortified nook in the wilderness, keeping mostly to themselves—until, predictably, something (in this case, a mysterious radio transmission) drags Hig out of his routine and into the unknown. Instead of Scott’s usual spaceships or gods, the threat is loneliness, loss, and the possibility other people are worse than monsters.

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 film’s official bow came at the London premiere on 20 August 2026. Since then, 20th Century Studios has been rolling out early press screenings, ramping up the buzz (and online drama) ahead of its wider cinema release on 28 August 2026.

The world premiere for The Dog Stars was staged in London on August 20, 2026.

Reactions: Split Down the Middle

Now, if you’re after a consensus on The Dog Stars, good luck. Critics and film fans seem to be living on different planets over this one. Those in the ‘Scott can do no wrong’ camp have praised the change of pace, with a focus on relationships, quiet desperation, and the tougher side of making it through a collapsed world. There’s a lot of love for the chemistry between Elordi and Brolin—most seem to agree they make the whole grim setup bearable, sometimes even gripping.

• Tom Chatalbash from Film on Tap hopped onto X to call it a ‘highly entertaining and achingly raw post-apocalyptic knock out,’ and reckons it’s one of Scott’s best in years.
• Gavin Spoors says Scott still knows how to hit a cultural nerve when it matters.
• Brandon Norwood pointed out there are some loose threads but still calls it Scott’s ‘best in a minute’.

On the other side, you’ve got people knocking the screenplay for being too heavy-handed. Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture says the film’s biggest problem is that Scott’s only as good as the script—that no amount of gloss, direction, or even the cast’s effort can save it from being a slog if the story isn’t pulling its weight. Adam Patla takes it a step further: for him, it’s a well-produced but ‘utterly soulless’ bit of apocalypse déjà vu, and The HoloFiles lump it in with ‘everyone else’s’ end-of-days stories—think The Last of Us, 28 Days Later, etc., but without anything new to say.

The divide pretty much comes down to expectations: fancy a patient, character-driven drama about hope and sticking together? You’ll likely be in the pro-Scott corner. Want fast pacing, big explosions, and some truly new apocalypse ideas? Apparently you’ll be left checking your watch.

The Main Players

• Jacob Elordi – Hig
• Josh Brolin – Bangley