Ridley Scott is one of the greats for a reason. His name is synonymous with movies that are insane in their scale, easily becoming pop culture giants. He’s the mind behind classics like Alien, Gladiator, Blade Runner, and so many more. But it’s his most recent step into the sci-fi genre that has some people up in arms, especially over a few changes he saw fit to make between the novel his newest movie is based on and the final film
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The Dog Stars, adapted from Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, is quieter in nature than some of Scott’s other films—a fact that inspired him to take on the project in the first place. So what has people so angry about the choices he’s made in bringing The Dog Starsto life? The dog. And while that might sound crazy at first glance, Jasper, who is the companion to Hig, played by Jacob Elordi, the story’s main character, is crucial to the narrative as a whole, representing a life before the events of the film—and fans have big feelings about the fact that his breed has been switched from a Blue Heeler to a Belgian Malinois. Scott’s response to that outrage when asked about it by Empire Magazine? “You know what the answer to that is, don’t you? F*ck off!”
The Dog Stars Has Been Dogged by Some On-Set Drama
While the movie is shaping up to be an incredible return to the sci-fi genre for Scott, it’s also been plagued by recasts and almost lost one of its stars on the first day of filming. Originally set to play Hig was Paul Mescal, who had worked with the director on Gladiator 2. “I had a good time doing Glad II with Paul [Mescal], and from that, I thought it was going to be him. But then he got hooked on playing Paul McCartney, and I’m his friend, so I’m not going to complain. I’d had my eye on Jacob for a while anyway.” Not only did the film have to make a last-minute star swap between Mescal and Elordi, but Josh Brolin, who plays Bangley, nearly quit the production on the first day due to Scott’s push for limited rehearsal before filming began. The actor told Empire Magazine that Scott’s approach “bugged me out, and I got really scared.”
The Dog Stars stars Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, and Margaret Qualley, and centers on what’s left of the world after a deadly virus has nearly decimated the human population. Hig (Elordi) managed to survive the outbreak, but lost his wife. Now, he and his dog, along with his Cessna, attempt to survive roving bands of Reapers who scavenge everything that’s left
What are your thoughts on the changes made to The Dog Stars? Are they worth being up in arms over, or should book fans cool their jets until the film’s release next month? Let us know your opinion in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other sci-fi fans are saying
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