Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic movie,The Dog Stars, has lost its lead actor, and now Jacob Elordi is in talks to replace him. The legendary director’slatest film wasGladiator 2, starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, and ahead of its release in November 2024, it was reported that Ridley Scott and the lead star were already reuniting for another movie,The Dog Stars. However, in December, Scott said the reunion might not happen since Mescal will be busy filming the Beatles biopics.
Now, Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic movie has officially lost its lead star, but gained another. According toVariety,Jacob Elordi is in talks to replace Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s next movie,The Dog Stars, at 20th Century Studios. Elordi is still in early negotiations, though his deal is expected to close, and would play a pilot named Hig who forms an unlikely friendship with a gruff gunman as they struggle to survive against a wandering group of scavengers known as the Reapers.
With a script by Mark L. Smith (Twisters) and Christopher Wilkinson (Ali), adapted from Peter Heller’s 2012 novel,The Dog Starsrevolves around a devastating flu pandemic that nearly eradicates humanity.
What Jacob Elordi Replacing Paul Mescal Means For The Dog Stars
It’s Largely A Lateral Move
Jacob Elordi and Paul Mescal are two of the hottest young stars in Hollywood, soreplacing one with the other is largely a lateral move forThe Dog Stars. Though Ridley Scott was originally planning to reunite with hisGladiator 2star, Mescal had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts involving Sam Mendes' Beatles biopics, in which he is reportedly playing Paul McCartney. Meanwhile, at 87 years old, Scott is set to continue his ever-prolific pace asThe Dog Starsis expected to be his next project after his Bee Gees biopic at Paramount.
During a December discussion with fellow filmmaker Christopher Nolan after aGladiator 2screening, Ridley Scott suggested that Mescal’s involvement inThe Dog Starsmight be in jeopardy, saying"Paul is actually tied up, working on the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go."
However, like Mescal,Elordi also has a busy schedule ahead of himwithEuphoriaseason 3finally filming this month. He’s also set to star alongside Margot Robbie in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation ofWuthering Heights, which is also scheduled to begin production in early 2025. With Scott reportedly aiming for a spring 2025 start forThe Dog Stars, it remains uncertain which, if any, of these projects will be rescheduled to accommodate Elordi’s potential involvement.
Our Take On Jacob Elordi Starring In The Dog Stars
He Continues Collaborating With Top-Tier Directors
Collaborating with Ridley Scott continues Jacob Elordi’s run of working with top-tier directors, which is always the sign of a shrewd star and a promising career. Though the Australian actor rose to fame for his role in Netflix’sThe Kissing Booth, he has since collaborated with Emerald Fennell onSaltburn, Sofia Coppola onPriscilla, Paul Schrader onOh, Canada, and Guillermo del Toro on hisupcomingFrankensteinmovie. Collaborating with Ridley Scott onThe Dog Stars, one of the few directors who can combine blockbuster potential with awards season heat, is a logical next step for Elordi’s career.
The Dog Stars
Cast
The Dog Stars, scheduled to be released in 2026, follows a man surviving a post-pandemic world in a Colorado hangar with his dog and a gunman. A cryptic radio transmission captured during a Cessna flight propels them on a quest to discover its origin, blending themes of isolation, friendship, and hope.
