Ridley Scott’s Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Thriller Officially Arrives on Digital
Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi film *The Dog Stars* is due to arrive on premium video-on-demand on 27 October, after a brief and disappointing cinema run. The release gives audiences another way to watch the film, while its weak box-office showing adds to concerns about Scott’s recent record with large-budget films.
The film, starring Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley and Guy Pearce, cost about $100 million to make and earned less than $40 million worldwide. It opened to mixed reviews and has a 41% Rotten Tomatoes score. Scott is now working on *Treasure Island*, starring Hugh Jackman, and has also discussed returning to the *Alien* franchise.
In short
- *The Dog Stars* arrives on digital rental on 27 October.
- The film earned under $40 million worldwide on a budget of about $100 million.
- Ridley Scott is working on *Treasure Island* and has discussed another *Alien* film.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A premium digital release gives people who missed The Dog Stars in cinemas a convenient way to see it, and may help the film find an audience beyond its brief theatrical run. Its box-office result is disappointing, but mixed reviews and a low aggregate score do not rule out appeal for viewers drawn to its cast, genre or Scott’s filmmaking.
The case against
The film’s reported earnings fall far short of its roughly $100 million production budget, making its theatrical performance a legitimate concern about the commercial risks of Scott’s large-budget projects. A digital release offers another route to viewers, but it does not erase the weak cinema result or establish that the film will recover its costs.