Kendall Jenner, Jacob Elordi Dating: Actor's Film Reportedly Struggles Following 'Kardashian Curse' Claims

Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi were photographed together during a low-key outing in Los Angeles on 19 September 2026, as online users revived the so-called 'Kardashian curse' in connection with the box-office performance of Elordi's latest film, The Dog Stars. The Ridley Scott thriller has grossed about $38.9 million (£29.36 million) worldwide against a reported $110 million (£83.02 million) production budget.

Separate reports described the sighting as a cinema outing and a low-key lunch date. Jenner and Elordi have been romantically linked since early 2026, but neither has publicly confirmed the relationship.

Kendall Jenner, Jacob Elordi Dating Speculation Continues

The latest photographs follow another public appearance in Los Angeles. On 25 August, Jenner and Elordi were photographed leaving Manpuku Japanese BBQ in West Hollywood.

Jenner, 30, was also seen in Italy earlier this month. She attended events connected to the Venice Film Festival and appeared at the wedding celebrations of her former partner Blake Griffin and Francesca Aiello in Porto Ercole on 5 September.

The appearances have kept dating speculation alive without resolving it. Some entertainment reports have described Elordi as Jenner's boyfriend, while other coverage has noted that the pair have not publicly confirmed their status.

Elordi, 29, plays Hig in The Dog Stars, a post-apocalyptic thriller about a pilot attempting to survive after a pandemic devastates society. Josh Brolin plays a military survivalist who joins him, while Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong and Guy Pearce are also part of the principal cast.

The film was directed by Scott and released widely in the United States on 28 August 2026 through 20th Century Studios. Some international markets received the film between 26 and 27 August.

What the Dog Stars Box Office Shows

The Numbers lists The Dog Stars at approximately $14.9 million (£11.24 million) domestically and $38.9 million worldwide. Box Office Mojo reports a similar worldwide total. Those figures remain subject to change while the film is still in release.

The theatrical gross is well below the reported $110 million production budget. It does not, however, establish the film's final profit or loss because studio revenue, marketing expenses, distribution costs and later income from digital platforms are not fully public.

The film has also received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes currently gives it a 41 per cent Tomatometer score from 216 reviews and a 70 per cent audience score from more than 1,000 verified ratings. The figures can change as further reviews and audience responses are recorded.

The site's current Critics Consensus calls The Dog Stars 'a derivative and drowsy tour through the post-apocalypse'. It adds that the film's visual scale does not overcome what it describes as a slow narrative. Audience responses have been more favourable, with the 70 per cent Popcornmeter score indicating a clearer divide between professional reviews and verified viewers.

That contrast does not explain the film's box-office performance on its own. Ticket sales are influenced by release timing, competition, marketing, reviews and audience demand, among other factors.

Why the 'Kardashian Curse' Is Trending

Some social-media users have jokingly invoked the so-called 'Kardashian curse' after The Dog Stars struggled to match the commercial expectations attached to a $110 million production.

The phrase refers to an unverified internet theory that people romantically linked to members of the Kardashian-Jenner family later experience professional or personal setbacks. It has circulated for years across celebrity-focused online communities, but there is no evidence that Jenner's reported relationship with Elordi affected ticket sales.

The theory is therefore best treated as online commentary, not an explanation for the film's performance. Neither Scott, 20th Century Studios nor Elordi has attributed the box-office results to Jenner or their reported relationship.

The latest sighting has nevertheless connected two separate stories in the public imagination. Jenner and Elordi appeared together in Los Angeles, while The Dog Stars continued its theatrical run with a worldwide gross of about $38.9 million.

For now, their relationship remains publicly unconfirmed, and the film's final commercial result has yet to be established.