Ridley Scott’s latest film, The Dog Stars, arrives in theaters worldwide on August 28. Early social media reactions highlight the director’s signature visual style, though opinions on the screenplay are divided.
The film premiered in London on August 20, followed by press screenings hosted by 20th Century Studios. Attendees shared their initial thoughts on social media, while comprehensive critic reviews remain under embargo until August 25.
Featuring an ensemble cast that includes Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Alison Janney, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong, the film adapts Peter Heller’s 2012 novel. Set in the aftermath of a devastating flu pandemic, it follows former civilian pilot Hig (Elordi) and ex-Marine Bangley (Brolin) as they navigate a perilous, desolate world.
Ridley Scott directed the picture from a screenplay by Mark L. Smith, whose credits include Vacancy, The Revenant, Overlord, The Midnight Sky, The Boys in the Boat, and Twisters.
The Dog Stars marks Scott’s follow-up to 2024’s Gladiator II, continuing a recent slate that encompasses Napoleon (2023), House of Gucci (2021), and The Last Duel (2021). The 88‑year‑old British filmmaker is next set to direct Treasure Island, with a script by Jack Thorne of Adolescence fame and Hugh Jackman in the lead role.
Below is a sampling of early audience reactions from social media.
#TheDogStars felt like it forced from-the-book moments in, drawing it out a bit.
That said, the second hour is intense & quite good. The characters are developed well enough to care into *wild* story turns.
Also, get unexpectedly close to Josh Brolin in CoD Zombies short film. pic.twitter.com/qqP0ndBqx0
— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) August 25, 2026
#TheDogStars kinda surprised me? It definitely feels like it’s pulling from a lot of things we’ve already seen in the post-apocalyptic genre, but Ridley Scott slowly brings all of those familiar pieces together into something much more thematically sincere.
At its core, this is… pic.twitter.com/V05rn9SA8X
— Zach Pope (@ZachhPope) August 25, 2026
#TheDogStars is a fine film that at under two hours still feels like its missing something. Ridley Scott knows how to film stunning landscapes, but falls short with a run of the mill post-apocalyptic film that-just-is. Josh Brolin is superb as always and eats up every scene he’s… pic.twitter.com/WLkOpLe8Al
— Junior Felix (@JuniorFett) August 25, 2026
THE DOG STARS is soothing and gruelling.
A western set at the end of the world with a big heart. Some intense FURY ROAD energy mixed with quiet campfires under the stars.
Acoustic guitars, Josh Brolin smoking cigars, and a dog.
Ridley Scott knows what we want. pic.twitter.com/qNCIUlPvVy
— patrick. (@imPatrickT) August 20, 2026
THE DOG STARS is yet another example of how Ridley Scott is only as good as the screenplay he’s given, for as strong as his direction can be, or his proficiency at staging action sequences, or the performances he gets out of his stars, if the screenplay isn’t fully there, the… pic.twitter.com/bnnC8myT5i
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) August 24, 2026
#TheDogStars surprised the hell out of me! This is a highly entertaining and achingly raw post-apocalyptic knock out that thankfully leans far more human than apocalypse, anchored by terrific performances from Elordi, Brolin, Qualley, Pearce and Janney, who nearly walks away with… pic.twitter.com/ZuS9m95q2B
— Tom Chatalbash (@TomChatalbash) August 24, 2026
#TheDogStars took me by surprise. Ridley Scott has proven yet again that his finger is on the pulse when it comes to current themes.
A warm, human, post-apocalyptic drama about the need for community. Slow, but consistently engaging, with smart editing.
Really enjoyed this! pic.twitter.com/SSW6SVG25N
— Gavin Spoors (@supergavigator) August 20, 2026
#TheDogStars is a well-made but utterly soulless apocalyptic tale that feels like a bunch of other stories that have simply done it better. Elordi and Qualley have great presence but not much to work with in the heavy-handed screenplay. Gorgeous cinematography and effective… pic.twitter.com/qrNKCfMLuQ
— adam patla (@apat10) August 25, 2026
The Dog Stars wastes a solid cast and Ridley Scott direction due to a shoddy screenplay. On the nose dialogue and a meandering feel keep this one from being anything noteworthy. Alas.#TheDogStars pic.twitter.com/GNiG8vYand
— Joey Magidson (@JoeyMagidson) August 25, 2026
Ridley Scott’s #TheDogStars is a unique western odyssey. It’s thoughtful, but doesn’t hesitate to go on autopilot when things escalate. Jacob Elordi’s performance is good and Josh Brolin adds some humorous tough love. Overall, a consistently optimistic and enjoyable watch. pic.twitter.com/Vt8Xu3Zpo5
— Christopher Gallardo (@chrisagwrites) August 25, 2026
The apocalypse is the American dream. It’s a solid throughline introduced in #TheDogStars, which is otherwise a bland stew of clichés and an unwieldy narrative that forces too much action in way of character development. It’s as if 3 of these novels were crammed into one movie
— Rob (@FlickMythRob) August 25, 2026
The Dog Stars is the story of how the two most beautiful people in the world survive the apocalypse, Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce trying to out-dude one another, and not as much depressing tone as I thought (good thing). Brolin is worth the price of admission alone. #TheDogStars pic.twitter.com/71KdN5xbtC
— Hunter Bolding (@HunterBVideo) August 25, 2026
#TheDogStars is decently helmed by Ridley Scott, but its screenplay holds it back.
A few well-staged action sequences, but it has a very slow start and can often feel drab and one-note in its execution. Not a horrible movie, but not good enough to recommend. Nothing exceptional. pic.twitter.com/Am4Wry2faw
— Jonathan Sim (@TheJonathanSim) August 24, 2026
Ridley Scott’s #TheDogStars is a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace for the director.
With its impressive cinematography, endless desolation and magnetic performances from Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it’s an impressive post-apocalyptic ride. pic.twitter.com/d0fDeMd4LK
— Phil Roberts (@philthecool) August 20, 2026
THE DOG STARS is a painfully generic post-apocalyptic thriller indistinguishable from The Last of Us, 28 Days Later, and countless other stories. Two amazing action set-pieces, a cute dog, and a scene-stealing Josh Brolin are offset by a sulking Jacob Elordi, a bland story, and… pic.twitter.com/ZZ06s53QT4
— The HoloFiles – Movie/TV News & Reviews (@theholofiles) August 25, 2026
#TheDogStars is a post-apocalyptic scifi movie with some horror elements. The first hour is quite slow, if you can be patient then you will find the second hour quite interesting and has some surprises. I enjoy the cast and the dog, but there is a pacing problem. Still I was… pic.twitter.com/5KIPTwbwvL
— Maggie_in_LA (@MaggieM_in_LA) August 25, 2026
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