Jacob Elordi, aka that tall, brooding Aussie who makes you question your life choices, might be stepping into a role previously held by Paul Mescal, aka the king of chain necklaces and sad boy vibes.
Paul Mescal was supposed to star in Ridley Scott’s upcoming apocalypse film, The Dog Stars, but apparently, the man’s calendar looks like a game of Tetris. Variety reports he’s too busy recreating Hey Jude vibes in Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopic. (Honestly, is there anyone more Beatles-y than Paul Mescal?)
Enter Jacob Elordi, now reportedly in “early negotiations” to take over the role of Hig, a pilot navigating the end of the world with a cranky, gun-toting buddy. It’s giving Mad Max, but with fewer leather jackets and more existential dread.
The film is based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel The Dog Stars. (Yes, that’s your cue to either Google it or pretend you’ve read it to sound cultured.) Quick recap of the book: Hig, a dude with the worst luck imaginable, lives at an abandoned airport with his dog, Jasper, and his trigger-happy BFF, Bangley. One day, Hig hears a mysterious voice on his radio—basically the post-apocalyptic version of getting a DM from someone who’s not a crypto scammer. Naturally, Hig risks life and limb to chase this static-filled dream, only to find that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side—it might just be radioactive.
As for Jacob, he’ll get to flex his brooding pilot vibes while dodging “Reapers,” a band of scavengers who sound like a rejected biker gang from The Walking Dead. If the negotiations work out, this will mark Elordi’s latest move from Euphoria bad boy to Hollywood’s go-to tall guy for emotionally complex roles.
One question remains: Will Jasper the dog be CGI, or will we get a real canine co-star who steals every scene? Because honestly, we’d all watch The Dog Stars for Jasper alone.
Stay tuned for updates, because if Jacob locks this down, the battle of Which Tall, Handsome Actor Wore It Better? Apocalypse Edition will officially be on.
