'Kardashian curse' explained as fans are convinced Jacob Elordi has been struck

Jacob Elordi’s latest movie has had a disappointing opening weekend, and some fans have already decided they know why.

The actor stars in Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, which arrived in US theaters on August 28.

But after the movie opened to around $8 million domestically, online speculation has turned toward Elordi’s relationship with Kendall Jenner.

One Reddit thread has now revived the idea of the 'Kardashian curse', with fans questioning whether the actor could be the latest celebrity to supposedly suffer a career setback after dating someone from the Kardashian-Jenner family.

There is, of course, no evidence that such a curse actually exists. But the theory has been part of celebrity and sports culture for more than a decade, so what exactly does it mean?

Kendall Jenner rejected the "Kardashian curse" narrative during the 2021 Keeping Up With the Kardashians reunion. (Photo by Cindy Ord/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

What is the Kardashian curse?

The 'Kardashian curse' is a pop culture theory claiming that people who enter romantic relationships with members of the Kardashian-Jenner family subsequently experience problems in their careers or personal lives.

The idea began circulating in the early 2010s, particularly in sports media, after relationships involving Kim Kardashian and professional athletes including Kris Humphries and Reggie Bush.

As social media grew, people began drawing connections between relationship timelines and events such as injuries, trades and changes in athletic performance.

By the middle of the decade, the phrase had become a familiar part of celebrity coverage.

The theory has particularly been associated with NBA players. Lamar Odom, Tristan Thompson and Ben Simmons have all been cited in discussions about the supposed curse, while former NBA player Rashad McCants claimed in a 2017 interview that his relationship with Khloé Kardashian contributed to his departure from the league.

James Harden, meanwhile, previously said the 'media attention' surrounding his relationship with Khloé had been distracting, although his basketball performance remained strong during and after their relationship.

NBA player Rashad McCants claimed in a 2017 interview that his relationship with Khloé Kardashian caused him to fall out of the leagues. (Photo by Bruce Gifford/FilmMagic)

Why are fans talking about the Kardashian curse again?

The latest speculation has nothing to do with basketball. Instead, Reddit users have applied the familiar theory to Elordi following the release of The Dog Stars.

The thread questioned the amount of publicity surrounding the movie before its release and suggested Elordi's media coverage had increasingly focused on his relationship with Jenner rather than his acting career.

Now, following the film's approximately $8 million domestic opening, some fans have interpreted the result as another supposed example of the 'curse'.

However, there are obvious reasons to be cautious about making that connection.

A movie's box-office performance can be affected by numerous factors, and there is no evidence linking The Dog Stars' opening to Jenner or their relationship.

There are also examples that don't fit the theory. Kendall Jenner's former boyfriend Devin Booker, for instance, reached the NBA Finals in 2021 while they were dating.

Kendall has previously rejected the idea herself.

During the 2021 Keeping Up With the Kardashians reunion, she said: “What I don't like about this narrative is that the blame is on us... the men need to take that responsibility.”