Ridley Scott's adaptation of Peter Heller's 2012 novel The Dog Stars debuted in theaters on August 28. Distributed by 20th Century Studios and Amazon MGM Studios, the film stars Jacob Elordi as a post-pandemic civilian pilot navigating a broken world alongside Margaret Qualley, Josh Brolin, Allison Janney, Guy Pearce, and Benedict Wong. The screenplay was adapted by Mark L. Smith.
According to Variety, the film opened to $3 million domestically on Friday. The figure puts the weekend debut below expectations given the film's pedigree: a Ridley Scott sci-fi drama with one of Hollywood's most-discussed young leads and an ensemble cast of considerable weight. A full weekend picture will emerge Sunday.
At the film's London world premiere on August 20, Elordi deflected questions about the ongoing search for the next James Bond. Asked about auditions, the 29-year-old replied: "I'm here on holiday." Denis Villeneuve is set to direct the Bond franchise's next chapter, with Steven Knight as screenwriter and Amy Pascal producing. Pascal told press in August that casting is expected by year's end.
The Dog Stars places Elordi in his second Ridley Scott feature, a pairing that has positioned the actor as a leading man in prestige dramatic territory. Whether general audiences follow is the question this weekend will start to answer.
