Ridley Scott’s latest sci-fi thriller just crashed and burned at the box office in spectacular fashion. The veteran director’s The Dog Stars posted dismal opening numbers that spell trouble for the Jacob Elordi-starrer.
The Dog Stars flops at opening box office
20th Century Studios’ The Dog Stars opened to a disappointing $8 million at the domestic box office this weekend, according to Deadline. The Ridley Scott-directed dystopian thriller, starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, landed in fifth place against a $70 million production budget.
The film began with just $850K in Thursday previews, falling well short of initial hopes for a $12M-$14M start. Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing posted a similar result last year. That Austin Butler-starrer opened to $7.8 million and finished with only $19 million domestically. Both films shared a common thread as auteur-driven projects released during late summer without festival buzz.
The Dog Stars earned a C+ CinemaScore from opening-night audiences. PostTrak scores showed 65% positive reactions and a weak 41% definite recommend. Scott’s 2013 film The Counselor remains his only comparable misfire, earning a D CinemaScore. That starry vehicle featured Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, and Michael Fassbender. It opened to $7.8 million and finished at $16.9 million domestically.
Premium large formats drove 27% of the film’s weekend gross. The West Coast generated nearly a third of ticket sales versus the usual 25%. Women under 25 represented only 6% of the audience despite Elordi’s young fanbase. Men over 25 led attendance at 45%, followed by women over 25 at 39%.
Social media analytics firm RelishMix reported the film trailed comparable action-adventure titles by 15%. The firm noted audiences questioned “whether the adaptation captures the novel’s quiet humanity or simply amplifies explosions.” Comparisons to I Am Legend, Mad Max, and The Road drew unfavorable reactions. RelishMix added that viewers felt “the film lacks its own identity.” Per Box Office Mojo, The Dog Stars earned $11.3 million internationally for a $19.3 million worldwide total.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Comingsoon.net.
