5 Reasons Why Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars Flopped At The Box Office
SlashFilm • • entertainment
Key Points:
- "The Dog Stars," directed by Ridley Scott and backed by Disney's 20th Century Studios, opened to a disappointing $19.3 million globally against a budget estimated between $70 million and $110 million, marking a significant box office failure.
- The film received mixed to negative reviews, holding a 40% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore, which hindered its word-of-mouth appeal and audience turnout.
- Despite a strong cast and a late August release intended to capitalize on a quieter box office period, "The Dog Stars" was overshadowed by major hits like "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," "Coyote vs. Acme," and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey."
- The movie's marketing was criticized for being unclear and insufficient, failing to effectively communicate the film’s premise or generate excitement, which contributed to its poor performance.
- A high production budget for a non-franchise, non-horror film with relatively unknown leads further exacerbated the film's challenges, ultimately resulting in an "over-spend and under-deliver" outcome.
