Published Oct 20, 2026, 12:18 PM EDT
Elijah is a freelance news writer at Polygon. He was an associate editor at The A.V. Club and Paste, and has been featured in outlets like Game Informer, Fanbyte, Unwinnable, and more. He loves media in all forms, from fighting games and horror flicks to slow cinema and visual novels. He's from the Greater Boston area.
The Dog Stars is also getting a physical release
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After a disappointing theatrical run, Ridley Scott's latest movie The Dog Stars is headed to streaming. For those who haven’t heard of The Dog Stars — which is probably a lot of people, given how poorly the film did at the box office — it's a post-apocalyptic thriller based on Peter Heller’s book of the same name.
The Dog Stars was a box-office bomb, grossing $39 million worldwide against a roughly $70 to $110 million budget. It was divisive among critics, with a 41% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviews criticized its slow pacing, while other outlets, like Polygon, praised the film for its quiet, contemplative atmosphere. Those who didn’t catch the movie in theaters can decide for themselves when it comes to streaming on Oct. 27.
The Dog Stars will be available to buy digitally in UHD for $24.99 on platforms like Prime Video. The film will be released on Blu-ray on Dec. 1.
The Dog Stars will likely eventually arrive on Disney Plus, as it was distributed by the Disney-owned 20th Century Studios. Disney would previously release most of its R-rated movies on Hulu instead of Disney Plus, but the company has been consolidating its library under Disney Plus in recent years. It traditionally takes Disney about three months or more after theatrical release to release its films on Disney Plus, meaning The Dog Stars will likely appear on the platform in December or January 2027.
What is The Dog Stars about?
The Dog Stars centers on Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former mechanic and airplane pilot attempting to survive a post-flu pandemic Colorado with his dog Jasper. This disease has wiped out almost all of humanity. Hig lives with Bangley (Josh Brolin), a distrustful former Marine, and the two butt heads over how to treat outsiders.
After tragedy strikes, Hig sets out to investigate a nearby radio signal, hoping to find other survivors. He teams up with a father-daughter duo, Pops (Guy Pearce) and Cima (Margaret Qualley), as they look for a potential sanctuary. Ridley Scott directed the film, with a screenplay by Mark L. Smith. Hopefully, Scott’s next movie, an adaptation of Treasure Island slated for 2027, fares a bit better at the box office, so this seasoned director can keep making whatever catches his fancy.
