Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars just hit a devastating new box office low that spells disaster for Disney. The post-apocalyptic thriller continues to struggle financially as new numbers reveal the full extent of its theatrical underperformance.
The Dog Stars proves to be a huge flop for 20th Century Studios and Disney
Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars bombed at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo. The post-apocalyptic thriller opened to just $8 million domestically in its debut weekend. The film earned $11.3 million internationally, bringing its global start to a disastrous $19.3 million. The movie carries a reported budget of at least $70 million, though some estimates place it as high as $110 million.
The poor opening recalls Scott’s 2021 film The Last Duel, which debuted to just $4.7 million. Jacob Elordi stars as Hig, a pilot surviving in a post-apocalyptic Colorado wasteland. Josh Brolin and Margaret Qualley also feature in the adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel. The film is poised to lose tens of millions during its theatrical run.
Critics were largely unimpressed, giving the film a 40% “rotten” rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 158 reviews. Metacriticlisted it at 49, placing it in the “mixed or average” range. Audiences responded more favorably, awarding it a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stiff competition also hurt the film significantly at the box office. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey added another $14.3 million in its sixth weekend, crossing $1.5 billion globally. Additionally, Coyote vs. Acme landed at number two domestically with $15.9 million. Even the indie horror comedy Buddy overperformed with $5.3 million, stealing R-rated audiences.
The film brings an uneven summer to a close for Disney. The studio hit big with Toy Story 5 at $1.12 billion and The Devil Wears Prada 2 at $692 million. However, it also fielded underperformers like the live-action Moana and The Mandalorian and Grogu. Through 11 days, The Dog Stars has grossed $13.7 million domestically and $33 million worldwide.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Comingsoon.net.
