Last year, longtime Ridley Scott DP John Mathieson—who’s shot seven films for the director—casually lit a match and tossed it over his shoulder. In an interview with DocFix, Mathieson called out Scott as a “lazy” filmmaker who’s been “rushing” through productions in recent years.
Mathieson didn’t stop there—he went on to suggest that Scott’s recent output has suffered visually because of that rush. The implication was clear: the once-meticulous craftsman has traded precision for speed.
Now, it’s not exactly shocking that Mathieson isn’t behind the camera for Scott’s latest, “The Dog Stars,” which is currently shooting in the UK. However, contrary to previous reporting, Scott has hired Erik Messerschmidt — known for his work with David Fincher (”Mindhunter,” “Mank,” “The Killer”) and Michael Mann (”Ferrari”).
What an inspired choice for Scott. It’s about time he decides to switch it up a bit. Messerschmidt is known for his precise, controlled and moody photography — is that what he’s going for with Scott’s film?
“The Dog Stars is moving full steam ahead. The cast includes Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce, Margaret Qualley. Scott is directing from a script by Mark L. Smith (”The Revenant,” “Twisters”), adapting Peter Heller’s post-pandemic survival novel about a widowed pilot (Elordi) navigating isolation and danger after intercepting a mysterious radio transmission in his Cessna.
When “The Dog Stars” was first announced, there was talk of it being a return to smaller-scale storytelling for Scott—a breather after the excess of Napoleon and Gladiator II (both budgeted north of $200M).
Scott, 87, isn’t slowing down. He’s eyeing to shoot another film this fall, this one his Bee Gees biopic, “You Should Be Dancing,” for Paramount
Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.