Disney and 20th Century’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Dog Stars debuted to a dismal $8 million domestically across 3,330 locations, securing a fifth-place finish and threatening 10s of millions in theatrical losses, per variety.com.
Produced on an estimated budget exceeding $80 million, the film failed to connect with critics or audiences, earning a 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a CinemaScore grade of C+. The poor performance ranks the project among director Ridley Scott’s most significant commercial misfires, echoing his 2021 historical drama The Last Duel, which opened to $4.7 million against a $100 million budget.
The film stars Jacob Elordi as an isolated survivor alongside a canine companion, supported by a cast including Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, and Benedict Wong. Its weak arrival caps a volatile summer box office season for Disney, which experienced major hits with Toy Story 5 at $1.12 billion and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” at $692 million, balanced against underperforming releases like live-action Moana at $308 million and The Mandalorian and Grogu at $345 million.
Meanwhile, Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day retained the top spot in its fifth weekend, grossing $22.2 million to push its domestic total to $891 million. Universal’s The Odyssey followed in second place with $14.6 million during its seventh weekend, bringing its North American haul to $564 million. Newcomer Coyote vs. Acme captured third place with an estimated $13.5 million from 3,575 screens after being saved by Ketchup Entertainment following its initial shelving by Warner Bros. Sony’s horror sequel Insidious: Out of the Further rounded out the top tier in fourth place with $10.1 million in its second weekend.
•Featured image: ©20th Century Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection