Ridley Scott's return to sci-fi may have stumbled in theaters, but it's roaring back to life in the digital arena. The Dog Stars, which struggled to find an audience during its big-screen run, has quickly become one of the most-watched titles on premium video-on-demand platforms, including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. It's a classic case of a movie finding its true home after a rocky start.
The film, starring Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, and Guy Pearce, was produced on a reported budget of around $100 million. Despite Scott's pedigree and a star-studded cast, it grossed less than $40 million worldwide, making it one of the director's biggest commercial disappointments. The dystopian drama now holds a 41% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it "derivative" and "drowsy," though many praised its lush visuals.
But the streaming numbers tell a different story. According to FlixPatrol, The Dog Stars has shot to the top of the domestic charts on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play within days of its PVOD release. This mirrors a trend seen with other recent releases, like Anne Hathaway's Verity, which also found a massive audience at home after a lackluster theatrical run.
Scott's career has seen its share of box office ups and downs. His last sci-fi outing, Alien: Covenant, also cost around $100 million and grossed $240 million worldwide—a number that wasn't enough to greenlight a sequel at the time. However, the Alien franchise has since been revitalized by Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus and Noah Hawley's FX series Alien: Earth, and Scott is now reportedly developing a follow-up to Covenant.
In the last decade, Scott has faced several theatrical setbacks, from All the Money in the World to Napoleon. Yet his films often find a second life on streaming. His Gladiator II recently conquered Netflix as the world's biggest streaming hit, proving that audiences are eager to catch up on his work from the comfort of their couches.
For fans of Scott's epic storytelling, The Dog Stars offers a visually stunning, if flawed, journey through a post-apocalyptic world. While it may not be his finest hour, it's a testament to his enduring ability to craft compelling worlds. And with the director already moving on to an adaptation of Treasure Island starring Hugh Jackman, there's plenty to look forward to.
So, if you missed The Dog Stars in theaters—or even if you caught it and want to revisit—now's your chance to see what the buzz is about. It's currently available on Prime Video and Apple TV, and it's proving that sometimes a movie just needs the right platform to shine.
