Josh Brolin nearly quit Ridley Scott movie after one day
Josh Brolin told Empire he nearly walked off Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic drama The Dog Stars after his first day in Italy, unsettled by the director's story-heavy, no-rehearsal shoot. He called his agent to quit, but Scott showed him dynamic dailies with Jacob Elordi. Brolin stayed and now ranks it among his most satisfying projects. The film opens August 28.
Key Takeaways
- Brolin asked his agent to release him from The Dog Stars after day one, telling Empire something felt "really wrong" on set.
- Ridley Scott's freewheeling, unrehearsed style clashed with Brolin's expectations despite their earlier work on American Gangster.
- Scott played back a strong scene with Elordi in his trailer, and Brolin embraced the process within a day or two.
- The Dog Stars, adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel, follows survivors after a deadly flu virus and arrives in theaters August 28.
Josh Brolin's candid admission is making waves in celebrity breaking news, and it spotlights how differently Ridley Scott works today compared with the methodical sets many A-list actors expect.
Why did Josh Brolin want to quit The Dog Stars?
Speaking to Empire, Brolin said he landed in Italy for a rehearsal session with Scott and co-star Jacob Elordi after a run of back-to-back productions including Weapons, Wake Up Dead Man, and The Running Man. Fight-or-flight kicked in almost immediately.
"Ridley was talking a lot of stories and not really rehearsing," Brolin recalled, "and it bugged me out, and I got really scared." He went back, called his agent, and said, "I want out. Something's really wrong, and I've got to get the fuck out of here."
Although Brolin and Scott had previously collaborated on 2007's American Gangster, the actor was not prepared for Scott's newer high-energy approach on The Dog Stars. The Independent reports that Scott's unconventional, unrehearsed directing style during filming in Italy left Brolin unnerved.
How did Ridley Scott change Brolin's mind?
Brolin's agent—a close friend—suggested he rest for a day. Brolin pushed back hard. "No, man, I know what the fuck you're doing," he told Empire. "It's not one of those day-things." He was right; the unease did not fade on its own.
The turning point came when Scott invited Brolin into his trailer and played footage from the scene they had just finished. It was a dynamic exchange between Brolin and Elordi. Scott asked, "Okay?" Brolin answered, "Okay," and began feeding off the energy he saw on screen.
Within a day or two, Brolin said he "got super into it" because the process felt "stratospherically creative and stratospherically dangerous." He told Empire it became "one of the more creative, satisfying projects that I've ever been involved with"—exactly the kind of risk he had been asking for, even if it offered zero comfort at first.
What is The Dog Stars about?
The Dog Stars is an apocalyptic drama about life after a deadly flu virus, adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel. Brolin plays gun-toting neighbor Bruce Bangley opposite Elordi in the survival story.
Yahoo Entertainment, syndicating reporting from People, highlighted Brolin's praise for the finished experience even after his rocky start. The film is scheduled for release on August 28, giving audiences a first look at how Scott's uncompromising on-set rhythm translated to the screen.
When does The Dog Stars come out?
According to The Independent and Brolin's Empire interview, The Dog Stars opens August 28. For fans tracking Ridley Scott's prolific run, Brolin's near-exit is a reminder that even veteran collaborators can be rattled before the dailies prove the vision.