Sir Ridley Scott: ‘Great writing is like great music’

Filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott, 88, known for directing classics like *Gladiator*, *The Martian*, and *Thelma and Louise*, is producing the film adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel *The Dog Stars*. The action film follows Hig, a pilot played by Jacob Elordi, as he survives alongside a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world after a virus wipes out most humanity. Scott shared his creative inspiration: ‘Readers like music, and great writing is like great music. Once I opened up that page with a good writer, I listened to the music and I engaged.’ He warned audiences to ‘be careful’ and ‘watch out,’ describing the film’s premise as a world where ‘you have Covid and then you have financial global collapse in 2008, but greedy banking, then you have panic, chaos.’ The film stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong, who also co-wrote an op-ed with Benedict Cumberbatch and Alan Cumming calling on the UK government to block the Paramount-Warner Bros merger, citing its potential harm to the British economy. Wong emphasized the film’s message: ‘It’s a timely reminder of what we need—humanity, kindness—in a divided world. The scenes offer hope for finding humanity in devastating times.’ *The Dog Stars* is set for release in UK cinemas on August 26, 2026. Wong also highlighted the film’s economic impact, noting the industry contributes £12 billion annually to the UK economy, and expressed concerns about potential job losses during mergers.