26 Years Later, the Best Historical Epic Is Still a Masterpiece From Start to Finish

Ridley Scott is shaping up for a major year in 2026 as he makes his return to the sci-fi genre with The Dog Stars. The post-apocalyptic thriller features Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin alongside Margaret Qualley, and after being pushed back from its original March release, it’s now positioned as one of the summer’s biggest blockbusters. The Dog Stars will mark Scott’s first venture into sci-fi in nearly a decade, following 2017’s Alien: Covenant. In the years since, Scott has largely turned his attention to historical epics, though the results haven’t always landed smoothly. Films like The Last Duel(led by Matt Damon) and Napoleon (starring Joaquin Phoenix) have ended up among the more divisive entries in his filmography.