Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars got its first trailer and poster today at CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas, with 20th Century Studios confirming the film opens exclusively in theaters on August 28, 2026. The announcement came during Walt Disney Studios’ annual CinemaCon presentation, the same event where the final trailer for The Mandalorian and Grogu also debuted earlier today. Watch the first trailer below.
The Dog Stars is based on Peter Heller’s bestselling novel and follows Hig, a young pilot who has carved out a brutal but efficient existence in a post-apocalyptic world alongside a military survivalist named Bangley. When a mysterious radio transmission reaches him, Hig sets out into the unknown searching for the hope and humanity he believes still exist. Scott describes it as a story where survival is instinct but humanity is a choice.
The ensemble cast includes Jacob Elordi as Hig, Josh Brolin as Bangley, Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong, and Allison Janney. The screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, who also produces alongside Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss, and Cliff Roberts.
Ridley Scott directing a post-apocalyptic thriller adapted from a beloved novel with one of the strongest ensemble casts assembled this year is exactly the kind of late-summer release that tends to get overlooked until it doesn’t. Jacob Elordi has been building toward a lead role at this scale for a while, and pairing him with Josh Brolin in a survivalist dynamic written by Mark L. Smith is a genuinely interesting combination. August 28 puts this right at the end of summer, and if the trailer delivers what the premise promises, this could be the sleeper event film of the season. It is on our radar.
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First Trailer for Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars Revealed at CinemaCon 2026
