Isle of Dogs Featuring Scarlett Johansson Joins HBO Max in June

On June 1, 2026, HBO Max will add the stop-motion film Isle of Dogs to its streaming library, according to the platform’s schedule.

Isle of Dogs’ Story and Production Team

The movie, directed by Wes Anderson, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura, is set in a dystopian future Japan. The government has banished all dogs to a remote island filled with trash following an outbreak of canine flu. The plot follows 12-year-old Atari Kobayashi, who hijacks a plane to reach the island and rescue his dog, Spots. On the island, Atari encounters a pack of stray dogs led by Chief, who assist him in the search. Meanwhile, authorities attempt to conceal the existence of a potential cure for the flu from the public.

Cast and Release Details

The voice cast includes Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Koyu Rankin, and Bob Balaban. Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Isle of Dogs premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 15, 2018, followed by its U.S. release on March 23, 2018.

Reception and Accolades

The film received positive feedback from both critics and audiences. It holds a 90% critics’ approval rating and an 87% user score on Rotten Tomatoes. IMDb lists a rating of 7.8 out of 10 based on over 210,000 user votes. Isle of Dogs had a production budget of $35 million and earned over $72 million worldwide during its theatrical run. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature Film and Original Score. It is also included in The Criterion Collection’s The Wes Anderson Archive: Ten Films, Twenty-Five Years Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray set.