The internet’s favorite leading man is back, and this time he’s trading the halls of ‘Euphoria’ for the cockpit of a vintage plane. Jacob Elordi has sent social media into a tailspin following the debut of the first trailer for Ridley Scott’s ‘The Dog Stars’ at Disney’s CinemaCon presentation on Thursday.
The viral footage, which was released to the public at the same time it premiered in Las Vegas, showcases Elordi in a gritty, post-apocalyptic world that feels miles away from his previous roles. Fans are already flooding X and TikTok with clips from the trailer, particularly those highlighting the emotional depth Elordi brings to his new character, Hig.
A Heartbreaking New Role
Based on the bestseller by Peter Heller, ‘The Dog Stars’ follows Hig, a young pilot living a lonely existence alongside a military survivalist named Bangley, played by Josh Brolin. Their isolated homestead is efficient but brutal, until a mysterious radio transmission sends Hig on a quest for hope.
The trailer kicks off with a gut-wrenching sequence featuring Elordi and co-star Margaret Qualley as a happy married couple bringing home a dog. The happiness is short-lived, however, as the footage quickly cuts to a desolate future where Hig is alone with only his canine companion.
When Brolin’s character asks what his life was like before the world ended, Hig’s response is already being quoted across social media: “I was kissing my wife, playing with my dog, wondering every day how I got so lucky.”
High-Stakes Action and Fan Reactions
It wouldn’t be a Ridley Scott film without some pulse-pounding action. The trailer ends with a sequence that has fans on the edge of their seats, showing Elordi taking flight in a classic plane while being chased by men on horseback who actually leap onto the wings of the aircraft.
“Jacob Elordi in a pilot uniform in a Ridley Scott movie? We really won,” one fan posted on X shortly after the trailer dropped. Another added on TikTok, “The transition from the flashback to the present day actually broke me. This is going to be his best performance yet.”
The film features a star-studded supporting cast including Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong, and Allison Janney, making it one of the most anticipated releases of the summer.
A Surprising Casting Switch
While it is hard to imagine anyone else in the role now, Elordi wasn’t the first choice for the project. Paul Mescal was originally set to lead the film, which would have reunited him with Scott following ‘Gladiator II’.
However, Mescal had to drop out to film Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-film Beatles project, opening the door for Elordi to step in. Given the viral reaction to the first footage, it seems the casting change has only added to the film’s “it-factor.”
With a theatrical release date set for Aug. , the conversation around ‘The Dog Stars’ is only just beginning. Between the emotional flashbacks and the high-flying stunts, Jacob Elordi is proving once again why he is the actor everyone is talking about.
