The latest film venture from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Productions, titled "Cookie Queens," has been met with a lukewarm reception from critics and a lackluster performance at the box office. The documentary, which follows U.S. Girl Scouts selling cookies to raise funds, opened in American cinemas on August 7 to generally unimpressed reviews and failed to break into the top ten releases.
Critics have described the 91-minute film as a "sweet but staged reality show ramble" and lacking emotional depth. Variety, a publication that has previously supported the couple, characterized it as "too much of a reality-show ramble." The San Francisco Chronicle noted that the film felt "as staged as it is sweet." One cinema-goer advised potential viewers, "Don't waste your money," calling it "one of the worst documentaries I have ever seen."
Financially, "Cookie Queens" generated less than $250,000 from screenings in 446 cinemas, averaging approximately $500 per screen. This performance was notably surpassed by "CatVideoFest 2026," which earned more despite being shown on fewer screens. The production costs and marketing budget for the film have not been disclosed by Archewell Productions or its distributor, Roadside Attractions.
The film did receive support from the Sundance Documentary Fund and was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January. A special screening was also held in July, attended by Meghan Markle and producer Alysa Nahmias.
Despite the critical and commercial struggles, "Cookie Queens" has garnered a more positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 92 percent approval rating from 49 reviews. Much of this praise appears to be directed at the young stars of the documentary, with viewers highlighting their personalities and the film's nostalgic appeal for those who participated in cookie sales years ago. However, some audience reviews have echoed critical sentiments, with one commenter finding the film "honestly the most boring film from start to finish" and questioning its focus on sales over the broader values of the Girl Scouts.
This release marks the executive producer debut for both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the film industry. The lukewarm reception is seen as another setback for the couple's ambitions in Hollywood. Their significant $100 million Netflix deal, signed in 2020, was reportedly downgraded to a "first look" agreement last summer. While their "Harry & Meghan" docuseries was a success for Netflix, subsequent projects have faced challenges. "Cookie Queens" was not acquired by Netflix.
The Girl Scout Cookie season, a tradition in the U.S. since 1917, typically runs from January to April. The documentary captures the experiences of girls aged five to 12 as they navigate the sales process, including marketing, budgeting, and dealing with customers, to raise funds for their troops and local charities.
The couple's other media ventures have also faced difficulties. Their major deal with Spotify concluded in 2023 after one season of Meghan's podcast, "Archetypes." They are also involved in producing an adaptation of Jasmine Guillory's romance novel "The Wedding Date" for Netflix. Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently seen attending a gala in honor of David Foster.
