Heart of the Beast (2026)
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A retired Special Forces veteran and his loyal dog must survive a grueling trek through the Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash.
The story
Retired Special Forces Command Sergeant Major James Belmont and his combat dog, Odin, both suffering from PTSD, find themselves stranded in the Alaskan wilderness after their seaplane crashes into a remote lake. After a brief encounter with a mysterious stranger, the pair must navigate a treacherous landscape to reach civilization. The journey becomes a grueling test of endurance as they face the elements and wild predators. With only their bond and survival skills to rely on, Belmont and Odin must overcome physical injuries and environmental hazards to complete a 58-mile trek to safety.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After their seaplane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness, retired Special Forces veteran James Belmont and his combat dog Odin are left to survive alone. After a brief interaction with a stranger named Watkins, the pair begins a 58-mile trek toward civilization. Along the way, they face a grizzly bear and a pack of wolves. During a wolf attack, Belmont is fatally bitten in the stomach. Later, he becomes trapped under submerged branches in a swamp. As his condition worsens, Belmont reaches a hilltop and instructs Odin to run to a nearby road. He leaves a letter detailing their ordeal and his final wishes before passing away. Odin eventually reaches the road and is found by a woman named Amber.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Ayer
- Writers
- Cameron Alexander · writer
- Cast and characters
- Brad Pitt · James Belmont; J. K. Simmons · Watkins; Anna Lambe · Amber; Uber, Seeka, Ryker, and Hondo · Odin the Dog
- Genres
- survival; thriller
- Themes
- survival; loyalty; PTSD
- Tone and mood
- tense; gritty
- Premise and plot tags
- man and dog; wilderness survival; military veteran
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 31
- Production trivia
- The script was featured on the 2017 Black List of the year's 'most liked' unproduced screenplays.; The film was shot in Queenstown, New Zealand.; The film's first trailer was shown at CinemaCon in April 2026.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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