The legendary Ridley Scott returns to science fiction with The Dog Stars, a post-apocalyptic drama that moves away from pure action to focus on loss and loneliness. After a global pandemic, the few survivors deal with a hostile environment and the deadly Reapers. The film follows Hig, a pilot searching for purpose in the ashes of the world. It premieres on August 28, 2026. 🎬
Six VFX studios for a devastated world 🌍
Visual effects supervision is handled by Charley Henley, with production by Helen Judd. To recreate the desolate landscape, the team has mobilized six studios: RISE, Untold Studios, Outpost VFX, Bluebolt, Light VFX, and TPO VFX. Each one handles specific layers of the environment, from the toxic atmosphere to the erratic movements of the Reapers. The result is a restrained visual tone, without flashiness, that reinforces the feeling of abandonment.
Spoiler: the Reapers don't wear masks 😷
Because yes, in a world where a pandemic wiped out almost everyone, the villains of the piece —the Reapers— wander without face masks or social distancing. Ridley Scott gives us the ultimate apocalypse for hypochondriacs: it's no longer enough to wash your hands, now you have to dodge guys with rusty knives. Hig has a plane, but not even that saves him from the chaos. At least there's no coughing, though.