Hollywood's online commentary machine has seized upon a new target. Moviegoers and pop-culture commentators question the radio silence surrounding 20th Century Studios' upcoming post-apocalyptic drama The Dog Stars.
Directed by legendary filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott and led by former 'Hollywood It-boy' Jacob Elordi, the film is slated for an August release.
Yet, with a fortnight remaining before its theatrical debut, the lack of traditional marketing — including zero red-carpet premieres, limited press tours, and virtually absent promotional momentum — has left fans asking whether the notorious 'Jenner Curse' has struck again.
Social media forums, particularly pop-culture subreddits like r/KUWTKsnark, have been ablaze with theories. Social media users are attempting to explain the quiet rollout of a big-budget, director-driven feature.
Many fans are directly attributing the film's muted presence to Elordi's highly publicised romance with supermodel Kendall Jenner.
The Kardashian-Jenner Machine Controversy
Speculation grew after internet users pointed out a stark shift in Elordi's public image over recent months. He was once lauded as one of the defining leading actors of his generation following breakout roles in Priscilla, Saltburn, and Euphoria. Elordi's current media footprint appears increasingly dominated by personal life coverage.
'Instead of actor-focused press, all we get are staged paparazzi dog-walks, Bottega outfits and Kendall posting cryptically-aesthetic poetry stories,' wrote one Reddit user, sparking widespread agreement online.
'He went from being hyped as the 'next big generation actor' to having his actual career sidelined while he becomes another accessory in the Kardashian universe.'
Commentators have coined this phenomenon the 'Jenner Curse'. This is a recurring pop-culture trope in which male partners associated with the Kardashian-Jenner family supposedly experience a decline in professional focus, critical acclaim, or box-office momentum as their craft is absorbed into reality-television-style media coverage.
Critics argued that the intense focus on romantic branding diminishes an actor's credibility. They further said that this transforms serious creative performers into tabloid figures.
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Studio Woes or Romantic Distraction?
While fan theories point toward Elordi's relationship status, industry observers offer a more pragmatic alternative on the distribution strategy.
Reports circulating online suggest 20th Century Studios, operating under parent company Disney, may be navigating internal budget constraints and calendar shuffles.
The film is slated for an earlier release before being moved to late August. The Dog Stars adapts Peter Heller's acclaimed 2012 novel about a pilot surviving in Colorado following a catastrophic viral pandemic.
Despite a stellar supporting ensemble featuring Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, and Guy Pearce, studio insiders note that late-August release windows are historically used by major distributors to drop films with minimal promotional overhead.
'Word on the street is that 20th Century Studios... is in full budget crisis mode,' noted a widely shared post. 'They're basically doing the bare minimum and dumping the movie late August because they don't know what to do with it.'
Whether the silence stems from studio financial strategies or a genuine shift in Elordi's public image, the stark contrast between his previous high-visibility press junkets and current radio silence continues to fuel debate.
As release day approaches, moviegoers remain divided on whether Jacob Elordi can maintain his reputation as a serious Hollywood lead, or if his high-profile romance has permanently eclipsed his cinematic work.
