Jacob Elordi is currently in preliminary negotiations to spearhead "The Dog Stars," a post-apocalyptic thriller helmed by Ridley Scott for 20th Century Studios, adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel, as confirmed by Deadline. The actor is poised to take the reigns from Paul Mescal, who was originally slated to star in Scott's "Gladiator II" but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts stemming from his role in Sam Mendes' Beatles anthology film, where he is rumored to portray Paul McCartney. Scott first dropped hints about Mescal's potential departure during a December discussion with filmmaker Christopher Nolan concerning "Gladiator II."
Set against a backdrop of a near-future America ravaged by an unnamed pandemic, "The Dog Stars" envisions Elordi as Hig, a solitary civilian pilot residing on an abandoned Colorado airbase, accompanied only by his loyal dog and a resilient ex-marine. Despite their stark differences, the duo forms an indispensable bond to ward off wandering intruders. When a cryptic transmission crackles through the radio of his vintage 1956 Cessna, the voice ignites a spark of hope within Hig, suggesting that a better life might exist beyond their tightly guarded confines. Daring to risk everything, Hig ventures past the point of no return, trailing the static-laden signal into the unknown.
The film's screenplay is penned by Mark L. Smith ("The Revenant"), and it marks the next directorial venture for Scott. Elordi, renowned for his starring role in HBO's "Euphoria," is set to film the series' final season next year, alongside Emerald Fennell's adaptation of "Wuthering Heights" for Warner Bros., where he will share the screen with Margot Robbie. This year, he will be seen embodying the titular character in Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" for Netflix. His upcoming projects also include "On Swift Horses," a Daniel Minahan drama co-starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, which premiered at TIFF, and Prime Video's Australian miniseries "The Narrow Road to the Deep North."
Variety was the first to report on the actor's negotiations for "The Dog Stars."
