Ridley Scott's New Thriller The Dog Stars Rotten Tomatoes Score Gets Official Audience Verdict

Published Aug 29, 2026, 8:12 AM EDT Fariba Rezwan is a Lead Editor for the Movie News team. She has been with ScreenRant for nearly five years, with roles ranging from list editor to junior news editor. During that time, Fariba has led coverage for breaking movies and TV news, including Hunger Games, Marvel, and streaming. Additionally, she has actively provided commentary and reactions to the biggest movies and shows on her YouTube channel, The Movieception Show. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Ridley Scott's new thriller, The Dog Stars, has found a bright spot with audience reception. The legendary filmmaker is back in the director's chair to adapt Peter Heller's bestselling post-apocalyptic story. Although Scott declared that his new thriller was "probably the best movie I’ve done since The Martian," critics beg to differ. Reviews for The Dog Stars were mostly mixed to negative, criticizing the movie's poor pacing, the clunky narrative shifts, and the failure to capture the novel's emotional depth. While the thriller became Scott's lowest-rated movie in the 2020s with 40%, the most important voice is ultimately that of audiences. With The Dog Stars now out in theaters, a clear divide exists between critics and audiences. With over 100 verified ratings, Scott's adaptation earned a solid 71% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, marking a huge 31-point difference. That's also the filmmaker's second-lowest Popcornmeter in the 2020s, just ahead of Napoleon's 58%. Critics and audiences agree that Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley's performances carried the thriller and its grounded elements. Although the movie doesn't reinvent the post-apocalyptic tropes, most audiences were entertained by the visuals, the romance, and the action. Others praised the emotional weight of Elordi's protagonist, Hig, but some readers noted that the adaptation falls short of the character depth. All Ridley Scott-Directed Movies In the 2020s Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score % Difference The Last Duel (2021) 85% 81% 4% House of Gucci (2021) 63% 83% 20% Napoleon (2023) 58% 58% 0% Gladiator II (2024) 70% 80% 10% The Dog Stars (2026) 40% 71% 31% Although his directing projects have a reputation for splitting critics and audiences, The Dog Stars is one of the most polarizing yet. The last time Scott's movie created a huge critics-audience gap was 20 years ago with A Good Year, which had 26% and 66% scores. Before that, Kingdom of Heaven had a 33-point difference between a 39% critics' score and a 72% audience rating. Legend had a 40-point difference, with the 33% and 73% scores, respectively. Others, like Someone to Watch Over Me, Alien: Covenant, and Hannibal, experienced similar Rotten Tomatoes trends. Cinema · A Ridley Scott Production Ridley ScottFilmography Trivia 👽Sci-FiIn space ⚔HistoricalEpic 🎥ThrillerTension 🏆LegacyLegend 🚀ModernVisionary LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! → 01 Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi horror masterpiece introduced audiences to one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures and launched a massive franchise. The film’s tagline was “In space, no one can hear you scream.” What is this iconic film? ABlade Runner BAlien CPrometheus DThe Martian ✓ Correct! Alien (1979) redefined both the sci-fi and horror genres. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley became one of cinema’s greatest heroines, and H.R. Giger’s nightmarish creature design created an icon of terror that has endured for over four decades. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Alien. Released in 1979, it combined claustrophobic horror with science fiction in a way never seen before. The film spawned multiple sequels, prequels, and crossovers, becoming one of the most successful franchises in movie history. NEXT → 02 Ridley Scott’s 1982 neo-noir sci-fi film, initially a box office disappointment, went on to become one of the most influential films ever made. It explores the question of what it means to be human through artificial beings called replicants. What is this film? ATotal Recall BAlien CBlade Runner DA.I. Artificial Intelligence ✓ Correct! Blade Runner (1982) is now considered one of the greatest science fiction films ever made. Based on Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,” it pioneered the cyberpunk aesthetic and raised profound philosophical questions about consciousness and identity. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Blade Runner. Despite underperforming at the box office in 1982, it became a cult classic and is now widely regarded as a masterpiece. Its rain-soaked neon cityscape and Rutger Hauer’s “tears in rain” monologue are etched into cinema history. NEXT → 03 Ridley Scott directed a 2000 epic historical drama starring Russell Crowe as a Roman general betrayed by the emperor’s son and forced to fight as a gladiator. The film won five Academy Awards including Best Picture. What is this film? AKingdom of Heaven BTroy CBen-Hur DGladiator ✓ Correct! Gladiator (2000) revived the sword-and-sandal epic genre and earned Russell Crowe the Academy Award for Best Actor. The film’s iconic line “Are you not entertained?” and Hans Zimmer’s thunderous score cemented it as one of the greatest historical epics ever made. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Gladiator. Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Maximus Decimus Meridius is legendary. The film won five Oscars and single-handedly revived the historical epic genre, inspiring countless imitators in the years that followed. NEXT → 04 In 1991, Ridley Scott directed a groundbreaking road thriller starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis as two women on the run after a tragic incident. The film became a cultural landmark for its feminist themes. What is this film? AThelma & Louise BG.I. Jane CA Good Year DSomeone to Watch Over Me ✓ Correct! Thelma & Louise (1991) was a cultural phenomenon that challenged Hollywood conventions. Written by Callie Khouri, who won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, the film’s iconic final scene of the 1966 Thunderbird sailing over the Grand Canyon remains one of cinema’s most memorable images. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Thelma & Louise. This 1991 road thriller starred Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and became a landmark of feminist cinema. It also featured a young Brad Pitt in a breakout role that helped launch his career. NEXT → 05 Ridley Scott directed a 2001 war film based on the true story of a U.S. military operation in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993, where a mission to capture a warlord went catastrophically wrong. What is this film? AAmerican Sniper BBlack Hawk Down CThe Kingdom DBody of Lies ✓ Correct! Black Hawk Down (2001) is a visceral, unflinching portrayal of the Battle of Mogadishu. Based on Mark Bowden’s book, the film won two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound. Its intense, documentary-style combat sequences set a new standard for war films. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Black Hawk Down. This 2001 war film depicted the harrowing 1993 Battle of Mogadishu with unflinching realism. American Sniper was directed by Clint Eastwood, while The Kingdom and Body of Lies were directed by other filmmakers. NEXT → 06 In 2015, Ridley Scott directed a survival sci-fi film starring Matt Damon as an astronaut stranded on Mars who must use his ingenuity to survive until rescue arrives. The film was based on Andy Weir’s novel. What is this film? AInterstellar BGravity CThe Martian DAd Astra ✓ Correct! The Martian (2015) was a critical and commercial triumph, earning over $630 million worldwide. Matt Damon’s charismatic performance as botanist Mark Watney, who “sciences the **** out of” his survival on Mars, earned the film seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is The Martian. While Interstellar was directed by Christopher Nolan, Gravity by Alfonso Cuarón, and Ad Astra by James Gray, it was Ridley Scott who brought Andy Weir’s beloved novel about a stranded astronaut to spectacular life on screen. NEXT → 07 Ridley Scott returned to the Alien franchise in 2012 with a prequel film that explored the origins of humanity and the mysterious Engineers who created the xenomorphs. What is the name of this prequel? AAlien: Covenant BAlien: Resurrection CAliens DPrometheus ✓ Correct! Prometheus (2012) marked Ridley Scott’s return to the universe he created over three decades earlier. The film expanded the Alien mythology by exploring the Engineers, an ancient race responsible for creating human life, and introduced new questions about the origins of the deadly xenomorphs. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Prometheus. Alien: Covenant (2017) was actually the sequel to Prometheus. Aliens (1986) was directed by James Cameron, and Alien: Resurrection (1997) was directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Prometheus was Scott’s grand return to the franchise. NEXT → 08 Ridley Scott has directed over 25 feature films across multiple decades and genres. Despite his immense influence on cinema, he has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director multiple times but has never won. For which film did he receive his first Best Director Oscar nomination? AGladiator BBlade Runner CThelma & Louise DBlack Hawk Down ✓ Correct! Ridley Scott received his first Best Director Oscar nomination for Thelma & Louise (1991). He was nominated again for Gladiator (2000) and Black Hawk Down (2001), but has never won. Despite this, he received a knighthood in 2003 and remains one of cinema’s most respected and prolific directors. ✗ Even Ridley would call “Cut!” on that answer! The answer is Thelma & Louise. While many assume it was Gladiator, Scott’s first Best Director nomination actually came for the 1991 road thriller. He was subsequently nominated for Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, but the Oscar has remained elusive throughout his legendary career. REVEAL MY SCORE → Final Cut Complete Your Director’s Chair Rating / 8 Are you a Ridley Scott scholar — or still watching the director’s commentary? ↻ WATCH AGAIN Although The Dog Stars' audience reaction leans positive, that's not enough to salvage the box office. With a reported $70 million production, the post-apocalyptic thriller is projected to make $10 million to $14 million on its opening weekend domestically. It will be beaten by Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has been in theaters for one full month. The Marvel installment is estimated to make $19 million this coming weekend. Unfortunately, that's another stain on Scott's box-office record in the last decade or so. Although the projected debut is far from his worst, it's a continuing trend. His movies have been underperforming at the domestic box office, especially after The Last Duel, House of Gucci, and Napoleon. During their opening weekend, they made $4.7 million, $14.4 million, and $20.6 million, respectively. Despite a rough run in the last decade, the 88-year-old Scott confirmed that he's not retiring anytime soon. In fact, the legendary director has plenty of projects in the works, including the Bee Gees biopic, Gladiator 3, and a Western. The filmmaker has commenced pre-production and casting for the upcoming Treasure Island adaptation with Hugh Jackman. He recently mentioned that he has planned another Alien movie that would follow up Covenant. In The Dog Stars, a deadly influenza wipes out much of humanity; survivors like Hig and Bangley (Josh Brolin) navigate a changed world and search for a better life amid the lingering threats. The star-studded cast includes Elordi, Qualley, Brolin, Guy Pearce, Sam Spruell, and Allison Janney. Mark L. Smith wrote the screenplay, while Scott produced the movie with Michael Pruss, Mark L. Smith, and Cliff Roberts. The Dog Stars is now playing in theaters. Release Date August 28, 2026 Runtime 119 minutes Director Ridley Scott Writers Mark L. Smith Producers Mark L. Smith, Michael A. Pruss, Ridley Scott, Cliff Roberts