--- title: "The real star of David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ is Uber (the K9)" description: "The New Zealand-born, K9 working dog, German Shepherd named Uber steals the show in David Ayer's \"Heart of the Beast.\"" date: "2026-07-28" modified: "2026-07-28" authors: - name: "Shannon Corbeil" job_title: "Contributor, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/scorbeil/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/david-ayer-heart-of-the-beast-k9-uber/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" tags: - "Entertainment" - "Movies" --- # The real star of David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast’ is Uber (the K9) ![David ayer Heart of the Beast k9]() *(Paramount Pictures)* “U-571.” “Training Day.” “Fury.” All Written by a submarine sonar technician aboard the USS Haddo. His name, in case you didn’t already know, is David Ayer. He’s also the director of “End of Watch,” “Suicide Squad,” and the upcoming military K9 film “Heart of the Beast.” His latest stars Brad Pitt as Special Forces officer James Belmont, who must fight to survive the Alaskan wilderness with his retired working dog Odin after a plane crash. **Also Read: [James Bond’s longest-running ‘Q’ survived 5 excruciating years as a POW]()** “Whether it's a couple soldiers in a tank, two cops in a car, or a retired military operator and his working canine, it’s two beings that have gone through hell and back together and share this deep bond and intimacy,” [Ayer told GQ]() of his filmography. “Working with animals is its own experience, and sometimes you can see the lack of connection when people do these movies, but we really made the dog a living, breathing, fully-formed character, with a soulful presence. And you can feel their history, their connection.” I’m still carrying childhood trauma from “Homeward Bound” so I do fear I have not the courage to make it through this one, but damn if this isn’t a great trailer for a survival film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFQcDFhNh4o You’re gonna open with a dog having PTSD nightmares? He’s an amputee?? Pulls his buddy out of an alpine lake after a plane crash?? *Killing me.* And I’m not the only one. The internet is already having fun with reactions. ![David Ayer Heart of the beast K9 YouTube Comments]() *Me too, @ReelRides. Me too.* “The submarine force gave me everything I needed to succeed in life,” [Ayer has said](), and his film work reflects his respect for the military and for veterans. “U-571” was based on his own experiences, though he recalled in a [conversation with BBC]() that the parallel history in the film is something that he would not do again. Ayer’s 2014 film “Fury” was another collaboration with Pitt, the commander of a Sherman tank crew making their final push into Nazi Germany: outnumbered, outgunned, and behind enemy lines. David Ayer knows how to make a gritty action film. ![David Ayer heart of the beast k9 submariner photo]() *Ayer in a torpedo room during his submariner days. (David Ayer via X)* "Heart of the Beast," I predict, is gonna be a breakout film for screenwriter Cameron Alexander. And while this is his debut feature film, the rest of the team is anything but unknown. Producers include Pitt, Olivia Hamilton (“Babylon”), and Damien Chazelle (“Whiplash”). J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”) and Amber Lambe (“True Detective: Night Country”) also make appearances. Pitt needs no introduction. But the real star is gonna be Uber, a German Shepard who came from New Zealand (where the movie was filmed), raised by a law enforcement and military breeder who supplies dogs for first responders. Uber works alongside animal trainer Andrew Simpson, who has also worked with animals on “John Wick,” “Game of Thrones,” and “The Revenant.” The role of Odin, Uber’s character’s name, is a complex role for any pup, even a trained one. Odin wears a prosthetic leg and silver dentures, due to the combat injuries he suffered while serving alongside his SF handler. As if Uber wasn’t cute enough, his puppy scenes were played by his own puppies: Seeka, Ryker, and Hondo, [according to GQ](). ![david ayer heart of the beast Uber]() *Look at that gorgeous face. (Paramount Pictures)* Paramount Pictures describes the film as “an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet,” and if you don’t want to buy your ticket without knowing what happens to Odin, [the truth is out there](). “I've shown the film to a few of my roughneck, tough-guy friends, and they're crying at the end of this," [Ayer himself said]() "I've never had a film move an audience so powerfully. To sit there and feel them lock in and believe this magic trick of this relationship, it's reaffirming as a filmmaker. I’m really proud of this as a filmmaker, and I feel like it represents a lot of growth for me. But I'll probably be the ‘dog guy’ for a while.” “Heart of the Beast” is set to be released in theaters on Sept. 25, 2026. **Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty** **• [The 10 most lethal special operations units from around the world]()** **• [‘Pressure’ is a D-Day film unlike any other before it]()** **• [This is what it’s like to play a petty officer on ‘NCIS’]()** ## Author Shannon Corbeil has worked for We Are The Mighty as a digital video producer, writer, and host, as well as a staff writer covering military history, trivia, and valor. Shannon is a fierce veteran advocate, covering the achievements of members of the military community and volunteering in multiple veteran non-profit organizations, including Pin-Ups for Vets and Warriors for Peace Theatre. Her undergraduate degree is in Humanities and Philosophy and her Masters is in Strategic Intelligence. A screenwriter and actor recently seen on SEAL TEAM and THE ROOKIE, Shannon writes about exciting projects in the entertainment industry. She is an alum of the Writers Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, a Finalist in the Disney TV Writing Fellowship, an inaugural fellow for the STARZ/VME #TakeTheLead Program, and has performed at the Geffen Playhouse and Kennedy Center as a writer, dancer, singer, and actor. As a U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, Shannon supported the 25th Fighter Squadron at Osan Air Base, South Korea, and conducted Cyber Threat Analysis at the National Security Agency. Her work has been seen in Business Insider, Task & Purpose, Military.com, and various other publications. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()