The Dog Stars (2026)

My Review

“The Dog Stars” is an apocalyptic action thriller about a mechanic who lives in an isolated area of Colorado with a cranky survivalist ex-Marine, after a pandemic kills off most of the world’s population. This predictable story was directed by Ridley Scott (“Alien” 1979) and screenwriter Mark L. Smith who relied on conventional storytelling in the adaptation from the 2012 novel of the same name by Peter Heller. Spoiler alert: Somewhere around the middle of the film, it turns into a zombie picture.

The stars of the show include Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong, and Sam Spruell. Allison Janney has the only amusing role in the movie as a deranged former flight attendant turned cult leader. Hilarious! “The Dog Stars” has been a major box office bomb for Scott Free Productions, 20th Century Studios, and The Walt Disney Company. It was primarily filmed in Italy, with some studio work in England.