Ridley Scott’s science fiction legacy is currently navigating a sharp divide between historical reappraisal and current box office reality. As of October 2026, his 2017 prequel Alien: Covenant has surged into the top echelons of streaming charts, even as his latest genre entry, The Dog Stars, is being pulled from thousands of theaters following a disappointing theatrical run.
The renewed interest in Alien: Covenant has seen the film reach #3 on the HBO Max movie charts and #5 on Fandango at Home. This resurgence is largely attributed to a “trickle-down” effect from more recent entries in the franchise, including the 2024 theatrical success of Alien: Romulus and the release of the television series Alien: Earth. These newer projects appear to have driven audiences back to Scott’s earlier prequel work, leading to a digital second life for a film that originally received a polarized reception.
The Theatrical Struggle of The Dog Stars
While Scott’s older catalog finds a new audience, his most recent project has faced immediate commercial hurdles. Released in theaters and IMAX on August 28, 2026, The Dog Stars is now winding down its theatrical window. The film, which stars Jacob Elordi as pilot Hig and Josh Brolin as survivalist Bangley, has been removed from approximately 3,330 theaters after a steep decline in ticket sales.
Financial data highlights a significant gap between production costs and box office returns. According to The Numbers, the film’s global gross is estimated between $15 million and $39 million. This performance stands in stark contrast to a production budget reported to be between $70 million and $110 million. This performance has effectively led to the film winding down its run as a major theatrical competitor.
Set in a post-apocalyptic landscape, The Dog Stars was expected to be a high-profile addition to Scott’s sci-fi filmography. However, its immediate rejection by theatrical audiences, compared to the “slow-burn” redemption of Alien: Covenant, suggests a shifting landscape for how Scott’s work is consumed. While his new original projects struggle to gain initial traction, his established franchise work continues to dominate digital platforms years after release.
The success of Covenant on streaming has reignited long-standing discussions regarding the future of the Alien prequel timeline. While no third prequel film has been officially confirmed, the sustained viewership numbers on Max indicate that the audience interest Scott failed to fully capture in 2017 has finally materialized in the streaming era.
