Dog Stars Opens to Mixed Reviews, 40% on Rotten Tomatoes

Ridley Scott's postapocalyptic drama "The Dog Stars" opened in theaters nationwide on August 28, 2026, to a divided critical reception, with early reviews highlighting a tension between the film's visual grandeur and emotional core versus its familiar genre elements. The film, adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 novel, stars Jacob Elordi as Hig, a pilot navigating a world devastated by a flu pandemic and blood disease, alongside Josh Brolin as the survivalist Bangley. As of its opening day, the film held a 40% "rotten" rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on over 100 reviews.