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Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars Opens to $19 Million Globally
ReRidley Scott's The Dog Stars Opens to $19 Million Globally
Ridley Scott's post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars debuted to an estimated $19.3 million worldwide, landing in fifth place at the box office amid poor reviews and an $80 million budget.
Ridley Scott's latest film, The Dog Stars, stumbled out of the gate this weekend, pulling in an estimated $19.3 million globally in its theatrical debut. The Disney and 20th Century Studios release, starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, and Josh Brolin, managed only $8 million across 3,330 domestic locations and $11.3 million internationally, placing it fifth at the box office.
The film, adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel, follows Hig (Elordi), a young pilot who has built a solitary homestead with a military survivalist named Bangley (Brolin) in a brutal post-apocalyptic world. A mysterious radio transmission pushes Hig to venture into the unknown, searching for the hope and humanity he still believes exists. Despite the star-studded cast and Scott's pedigree, the film has struggled to connect with audiences and critics alike.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the film at a "rotten" 41% favorability rating. IGN's own review delivered a 5/10, calling it "a post-apocalyptic survival story that's encased in three layers of emotionally protective bubble wrap with a wild third-act twist." Audience scores tell a different story, sitting at a much higher 70%, but that has done little to drive ticket sales. With Variety reporting the film's budget at $80 million, The Dog Stars faces a steep climb to profitability.
The late-August weekend also saw the long-awaited release of Coyote vs. Acme, which Ketchup Entertainment brought to theaters after the film was nearly shelved at Warner Bros. The live-action and animation hybrid, starring Will Forte, Lana Condor, and John Cena, earned $15.46 million domestically and landed in second place. The film's release followed a vocal campaign from online movie fans who pushed for it to see the light of day. Reviews have been strong, with IGN calling it "amazing" in a 9/10 review.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day continued its box office dominance, finishing its first month atop the charts with a global total of $2.332 billion. The Odyssey held third place with a worldwide haul of $1.55 billion, while Insidious: Out of the Further took fourth with $110.2 million in its second weekend.
Looking ahead, September 2026 offers a mix of releases that could draw audiences back to theaters. Practical Magic 2, Runner, the Oasis reunion documentary Don't Look Back in Anger, and The Uprising are all set to premiere in the coming days. Later in the month, heavy hitters like Primtime, Zach Cregger's Resident Evil, and a re-release of Marvel's Avengers: Endgame are expected to hit screens.
