 "Critters" was theatrically released on April 11, 1986 by New Line Cinema, opening across the United States to 633 theaters.It earned $1,618,800 in its opening weekend, and ultimately grossed $13,167,232 at the box office.On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 55% approval rating based on 20 reviews, with an average of 5.51/10.