Heart of the Beast

Find Movie Theaters & Showtimes

for
near
in

Videos & Photos

  • Trailer 1

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

David Ayer

Producer:

David Ayer, Marty Bowen, Olivia Hamilton

Writer:

Cameron Alexander

Release Date:

Sep 25, 2026

Runtime:

1hr 41m

Synopsis

After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. From acclaimed filmmaker David Ayer, Heart of the Beast is an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet.

Cast

  • Brad Pitt
  • J.K. Simmons
  • Anna Lambe
Moviegoers are saying
Audiences overwhelmingly leave this film wrecked and grateful: reviewers keep saying 'bring your Kleenex,' and many name Odin, the dog, as the real star opposite Brad Pitt. The praise is tempered mostly by a formulaic plot and a few eyebrow-raising story choices, especially the ending that one reviewer found hard to believe for a trained war dog.
Top Mentions
Tear-Jerker
Heart-Pounding
Good-Boy-Energy
Bring-Your-Kleenex
Edge-of-Your-Seat
Man-Meets-Best-Friend
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.3
173.6K
30.6K
47.4K
RATINGS 496 FANS
3.3
  • Sep 23, 2026

    It’s not a great movie, but at least it’s an honest one. It features Brad Pitt, a very talented dog actor, some beautiful natural scenery, a story that is somewhat predictable and not particularly interesting, though easy to follow, and a lot of heartwarming sentiment,…

    0 Likes
    JackFolla
    JackFolla
    Sep 22, 2026

    A freaking cat could never.

    0 Likes
    Geoff Ketchum
    Geoff Ketchum
    Sep 26, 2026

    “I showed him war, but he has shown me  nothing but love”.

    0 Likes
    astrid
    astrid
  •
    Sep 22, 2026

    stop 😭😭😭 putting 😭😭😭 dogs 😭😭😭 through emotional devastation 😭😭😭

    0 Likes
    nwols.
    nwols.
    Sep 21, 2026

    the writers room: what if he got attacked by CGI animal #4, while having heart attack #15?!

    0 Likes
    ethan
    ethan
    Sep 26, 2026

    I wish Brad Pitt cared as much about his kids as he does this dog. Wait, did I say that out loud?

    0 Likes
    Rose Rainmaker
    Rose Rainmaker
  •
    Sep 23, 2026

    John Wick showed us what a man will go through for his dog. This one shows what a dog will go through for his man

    0 Likes
    Yashley
    Yashley
    Oct 6, 2026

    wouldn't happen to me because i love my phone and my friends. incredible twist at the ending when the credits roll and reveal this was not based on a book

    0 Likes
    demi adejuyigbe
    demi adejuyigbe
    Sep 22, 2026

    not ashamed to admit that i was much more concerned about the dog than brad

    0 Likes
    theo
    theo

Atom Users Reviews

4.7
138
26
8
2
2
POPULAR TAGS
#great
#heartpounding
#intense
#allthefeels
#inspiring
#mustsee

Reviews

  • LY
    Linda Yoos
    #familyfriendly

    well done, scenery beautiful

    DP
    Diana Pinto
    #intense
    #mustsee
    #great

    The dog in this movie is amazing. It just goes to show the emotional intelligence of these beautiful beasts.

    HA
    Holli Ronny Aiken

    really liked it!

  • MF
    marzena frausto

    It is a good movie but sad. Love the dog.

    HD
    Hayden Draper

    Best movie I have seen!

    PR
    Popeye Rocha

    my sister cried kinda loud

  • BH
    Brian Holloway

    Brad Pitt nailed it again both he and Oden deserve an Oscar definitely pulls at your heart strings

    SK
    Sheila Kramer

    It got my emotions going. It ends not the way you are expecting. Good movie.

    EH
    Ella Henson

    saddest movie ever

Read all 176 customer reviews

Metacritic

69
metacritic
Based on 17 Critics
tbd

USER SCORE (0)

There are no user reviews yet
63
Sep 22, 2026

It never strays far from the formula, but while often predictable, occasionally implausible and sometimes even straight propaganda, it’s an effectively thrilling adventure and Pitt can shed a tear (actually, many) like the best of them.

Lindsey Bahr
The Associated Press
80
Sep 22, 2026

You couldn’t want much more from a one-man-and-his-dog survival tale. A very good movie about a very good boy.

Metacritic review by Olly Richards
Olly Richards
Empire
60
Sep 22, 2026

Director David Ayer is working with a fairly simple emotional range, and rather than try and complicate it, he grounds it in experiential filmmaking that is both visceral and sincere. The result is a story that, once it really gets going, becomes and stays involving, eventually reaching an emotional crescendo that still hits hard even if you can see it coming from a mile away. Heart of the Beast doesn't have many surprises up its sleeve, but you will certainly get what you came for.

Alex Harrison
Screen Rant

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Heart of the Beast come out in theaters?
September 25, 2026 is the release date.
Is Heart of the Beast (2026) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as PG-13, meaning that some material may be considered inappropriate for children under 13.
How long is Heart of the Beast (2026)?
The movie is 1hr 41min long.
What's Heart of the Beast (2026) about?
After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. From acclaimed filmmaker David Ayer, Heart of the Beast is an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet.
Who's the cast of Heart of the Beast (2026)?
  • Brad Pitt as James Belmont
  • J.K. Simmons
  • Anna Lambe
Who's the director behind Heart of the Beast (2026)?
David Ayer directed Heart of the Beast (2026).
Who produced Heart of the Beast (2026)?
David Ayer, Marty Bowen and Olivia Hamilton produced Heart of the Beast (2026).
Back to Showtimes