Gladiator II is just about to hit the big screen, but the duo behind it is already focusing on their next project. According to Deadline, Paul Mescal and Ridley Scott will work together once again in The Dog Stars. 20th Century has already found a screenwriter to adapt Peter Heller‘s novel, with Mark L. Smith already figuring out a way to bring the story from the page to the screen. The upcoming movie will be about the last hope of a man who lives in a devastated world, and the decisions that will lead him down a dangerous path.

The Dog Stars takes place in a world that has been devastated by a pandemic. Two men are forced to live together in order to keep their territory safe. The protagonists of the story can’t stand each other, but since they don’t have many options, they decide to work together in order to survive. Once one of the characters hears a voice on the radio, he decides to leave the safety of his shelter to find a better life for himself. The quest in front of him doesn’t sound very safe, with many survivors attempting to grab anything they can get in the grim reality of the novel.

Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal recently worked together on Gladiator II. The sequel takes place many years after Russell Crowe portrayed Maximus. The new movie is centered around the character’s son, portrayed by Mescal. The young Lucius Verus has plenty of problems with the way Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) uses his army to destroy civilizations, which is why their rivalry is about to take over the big screen. Gladiator II premieres in theaters in the United States on November 22.

What’s Next for Ridley Scott?

There’s no stopping Ridley Scott from taking on another project once he’s finished with his previous movie. With Gladiator II about to be released in theaters, the acclaimed director is ready to take on the action of The Dog Stars. Scott quickly went to work on the sequel to Gladiator, right after he was done with Napoleon. When it comes to what the filmmaker will do next, Ridley Scott has already signed on to work on a movie about the life and career of the Bee Gees. That project is set to begin filming once the artist is done working on the adaptation of The Dog Stars.

A release date for The Dog Stars hasn’t been set by 20th Century Studios.

via Collider