Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars Sets an Unwanted Rotten Tomatoes Record
Ridley Scott’s latest science-fiction thriller, The Dog Stars, has opened to a surprisingly weak response from critics, giving the veteran director his lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the 2020s.
The film, which arrives in theaters on August 28, 2026, marks Scott’s first conventional post-apocalyptic movie. Adapted from Peter Heller’s bestselling post-apocalyptic novel, which was published fourteen years ago, The Dog Stars follows two survivors struggling to find a future after an influenza pandemic devastates humanity.
Jacob Elordi plays Hig, while Josh Brolin portrays Bangley. Together with Hig’s dog, they navigate the dangers left behind by the collapse of civilization while holding on to the possibility of a better life.
Scott had previously expressed strong confidence in the project, calling The Dog Stars “probably the best movie I’ve done since The Martian.” The early critical response, however, suggests that the film has not quite lived up to that assessment.
The Dog Stars Opens With Scott’s Lowest 2020s Score
The first reviews have pushed The Dog Stars to a 44% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. That makes it Scott’s lowest-rated directorial project of the 2020s so far, falling well below Napoleon, which currently sits at 58%.
The result is also notable when looking further back through Scott’s filmography. The Dog Stars is his lowest-rated movie in the past 12 years, since Exodus: Gods and Kings received a 29% critics’ score in 2014.
Scott’s Rotten Tomatoes record for his 2020s films currently stands as follows:
| Film | Critics’ Score | Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
| The Last Duel (2021) | 85% | 81% |
| House of Gucci (2021) | 63% | 83% |
| Napoleon (2023) | 58% | 58% |
| Gladiator II (2024) | 70% | 80% |
| The Dog Stars (2026) | 44% | N/A |
The response has not been entirely negative. Critics have singled out the performances from Elordi and Margaret Qualley, along with the film’s striking visuals, as some of its strongest qualities.
Much of the criticism instead centers on how The Dog Stars handles its post-apocalyptic setting. Reviewers have argued that the movie does little to distinguish itself from other films in the genre, relying heavily on familiar post-apocalyptic conventions rather than offering a fresh approach.
Another major issue is the adaptation’s treatment of Heller’s original narrative style. The novel is told in the first person, but the movie removes that perspective. Critics felt that this change weakened the connection to Hig’s inner life and made it harder for the film to convey the depth of grief experienced by Elordi’s character.
ScreenRant Finds More to Like
ScreenRant’s own review took a somewhat more favorable view of the film.
Jordan William acknowledged that the story is not “groundbreaking,” but found The Dog Stars to be an entertaining and visually impressive thriller with a stronger emphasis on hope than many of its genre counterparts. The review also argued that, despite the film’s reliance on familiar post-apocalyptic elements, Scott puts considerable weight behind its themes surrounding humanity.
The cast also helps compensate for some of the movie’s weaker areas, particularly its limited character development and less compelling subplots.
Ultimately, ScreenRant awarded The Dog Stars 6 out of 10 stars, describing it as an easy-to-watch adventure that fits comfortably among the summer blockbuster offerings.
A Difficult Box Office Outlook
The lukewarm critical reception comes at an especially challenging time for Scott.
The director remains responsible for landmark films such as Alien, but his work over roughly the past decade has produced a mixed reception. Napoleon divided critics and audiences, while Gladiator II represented a modest sequel-era downturn following the success of the Oscar-winning original.
That uneven recent track record has also been reflected at the box office. With a reported budget of $110 million, The Dog Stars is projected by several outlets to earn only $18 million to $23 million during its opening weekend.
The mixed reviews could make that target even harder to reach, particularly as Scott’s recent films have not consistently generated the kind of commercial momentum associated with his earlier work.
Ridley Scott Is Already Planning What Comes Next
Despite the uneven response to The Dog Stars, Scott shows no indication of slowing down.
At 88, the filmmaker already has several projects in development. His upcoming slate includes a Bee Gees biopic, a Western, Gladiator 3, and a recently announced adaptation of Treasure Island, which is set to star Hugh Jackman.
Scott has also made it clear that retirement is not currently part of his plans.
For now, however, his attention turns to The Dog Stars, which opens in theaters on August 28, 2026. The film represents a new genre for the filmmaker, but its 44% Rotten Tomatoes debut makes it a notably difficult start to what Scott had hoped would be one of his strongest films since The Martian.