Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars failed in cinemas, taking about $39 million worldwide against a production budget reported at between $70 million and $110 million. Two months after its release, the post-apocalyptic thriller has found a second life at home: it is now the number one movie on Prime Video, and it reached number three on the Apple TV Store within a day of its digital release.
The turnaround is a familiar streaming story, but it is a striking one for a director of Scott’s standing. The Dog Stars was his first science-fiction film since Alien: Covenant in 2017, and its cinema run ended as one of the biggest disappointments of his career. Audiences at home, it seems, are giving it the hearing cinemagoers did not.
The Dog Stars — Quick Reference Summary
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Film | The Dog Stars (2026), post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller |
| Director | Ridley Scott; screenplay by Mark L. Smith, based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel |
| Cast | Jacob Elordi as Hig, with Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce |
| Cinema release | 28 August 2026 (premiere 20 August, Odeon Luxe Leicester Square) |
| Box office | About $39 million worldwide; budget reported at $70-110 million |
| Reviews | 41% critics and 69% audiences on Rotten Tomatoes |
| Digital release | 27 October 2026 on Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home |
| Streaming | Number one movie on Prime Video; number three on the Apple TV Store after one day |
A cinema flop that audiences are now finding at home
The Dog Stars opened in cinemas on 28 August 2026 after a premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square eight days earlier. Critics were unconvinced, giving it 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences stayed away: the film took about $39 million worldwide, well short of its reported $70-110 million production budget, and left cinemas early.
The digital release on 27 October 2026 changed the picture. The film became available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, and within a day it was the third most popular movie on the Apple TV Store. By 2 November it had climbed to the top of Prime Video’s movie chart worldwide, according to Collider. The audience score tells the same story in miniature: viewers rate it 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, far kinder than the critics’ 41%.
What The Dog Stars is actually about
The film adapts Peter Heller’s acclaimed 2012 novel of the same name. Jacob Elordi plays Hig, a pilot and mechanic living at a small airport in the years after a flu pandemic has emptied the world. Elordi took the role after Paul Mescal left the project, and he is joined by Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce.
It is a quieter film than Scott’s blockbusters: a survival story built around one man, his dog, his plane and the decision to leave the safety of the airfield. That intimacy may explain the split between critics and audiences. The spectacle that fills a cinema screen can feel thin there, while the same material plays better in a living room, where viewers meet it on its own terms.
Why the streaming comeback matters for Ridley Scott
For Scott, now in his late eighties and still directing at a remarkable pace, The Dog Stars was meant to be a return to the genre that made his name with Alien and Blade Runner. Instead it became his lowest-grossing film since The Last Duel in 2021, another costly disappointment. The streaming numbers do not erase the cinema loss, and no official viewing figures have been released, so it is not publicly verified whether the home run will make the film profitable.
What the comeback does show is that the film has an audience, even if it found it late. Scott is already moving on: a new Alien film was confirmed on 23 October 2026 with Scott directing from a screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski, and he is also working on an adaptation of Treasure Island starring Hugh Jackman. The Dog Stars may end up remembered less as a flop than as the film that proved Scott’s science fiction still travels, just not always through the cinema door first.
Frequently asked questions about The Dog Stars on Prime Video
Is The Dog Stars number one on Prime Video?
Yes. After its digital release on 27 October 2026, The Dog Stars climbed to the number one movie on Prime Video worldwide, according to Collider’s report of 2 November 2026. It also reached number three on the Apple TV Store within a day.
How much did The Dog Stars make at the box office?
About $39 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $70-110 million, making it a box-office flop and Scott’s lowest-grossing film since The Last Duel (2021).
What is The Dog Stars about?
It is a post-apocalyptic thriller based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel. Jacob Elordi plays Hig, a pilot and mechanic surviving at a small airport after a flu pandemic, who must decide whether to leave the safety of the airfield.
Who stars in The Dog Stars?
Jacob Elordi leads the cast as Hig, with Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce. Elordi replaced Paul Mescal in the lead role.
Where can I watch The Dog Stars?
It is available to rent or buy on Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home from 27 October 2026. A 4K UHD and DVD/Blu-ray release follows on 1 December 2026.
What is Ridley Scott working on next?
A new Alien film, confirmed on 23 October 2026 with Scott directing from a screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski, and a Treasure Island adaptation starring Hugh Jackman.
