Hollywood Rallies Behind Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Amidst Box Office Struggles

Tom Cruise has long been regarded as a reliable box office draw, making a failure of this magnitude seem almost unimaginable. His latest project, a collaboration with director Alejandro G. Inarritu, was intended to be a bold venture, and it certainly appears to be one. The pressing question is whether ‘Digger’ will be seen as a disaster, a misunderstood risk, or perhaps a combination of both.

The film debuted with a premise that felt risky and a marketing strategy that leaned heavily on Cruise’s illustrious career. Early reviews have polarized critics, and the opening weekend figures have only intensified the drama surrounding the film.

Following its underwhelming debut, a remarkable array of film industry figures has come out in support of ‘Digger’. Notable names like Guillermo del Toro, Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, and Mandy Patinkin have voiced their admiration for the film, with Variety compiling their responses in a single report. Del Toro’s message emphasized the importance of valuing art over box office numbers, while Patinkin encouraged viewers to rush to theaters to see the film.

Hathaway shared what seems to be her first-ever Letterboxd review, giving the film a five-star rating and calling it brilliant and ambitious. She also urged audiences to watch it and form their own opinions. Fonda praised the film on Instagram, calling it courageous and highlighting another facet of Cruise’s bravery.

Del Toro took to X to express that the negative reviews were trivial and argued that the film is best experienced in a theater setting. He referenced films that were initially panned by critics, such as ‘The Big Lebowski’, ‘The King of Comedy’, and ‘The Counselor’, suggesting that ‘Digger’ may follow a similar path of reappraisal. Alfonso Cuaron also shared reflections on ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, ‘Blade Runner’, and ‘Under the Skin’, all of which faced criticism before being reevaluated positively.

Entirely Petty headline. Love it or not. And, yes, I do. The film delivers in scale, ambition and reach at a theatrical screen level. Daring, bold and Cinematically complex. Decidedly a Theatrical experience.

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) October 1, 2026

Glen Powell, who starred alongside Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, stated that the film will endure over time, while Ron Howard described it as impressive on multiple levels. Some of these supporters have personal or professional connections to Cruise or Inarritu, leading to some skepticism. Nevertheless, the unusual enthusiasm has fostered a passionate online community, which has dubbed themselves the “Digger Hive.”

‘Digger’ opened to approximately $20 million globally, with $8 million from the US and Canada and $12 million internationally. This placed it fifth at the domestic box office and marked Cruise’s weakest opening in nearly two decades. The last film of his to perform lower was ‘Lions for Lambs’ in 2007, which brought in $6.7 million.

The film’s estimated production budget ranges from $125 million to $150 million, with an additional $100 million allocated for marketing. Industry projections suggest it could incur losses of at least $150 million during its theatrical run, with TheWrap estimating a potential loss of $250 million. In contrast, ‘Verity’, featuring Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, topped the North American box office that weekend with $32.6 million.

In ‘Digger’, Cruise portrays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon whose actions lead to an environmental disaster. His drilling in Greenland releases methane and destabilizes an ice shelf, posing a tsunami threat to Europe. One critic likened the film to ‘Dr. Strangelove’, with crude oil serving as the doomsday device.

The cast also features Riz Ahmed, Sandra Huller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons. Inarritu co-wrote the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolas Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, while he reunited with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. Production designer Dennis Gassner crafted the film’s stark visuals.

A new trailer for ‘DIGGER’ has been released.
In theaters October 2. https://t.co/kTEeFZI14E

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 9, 2026

Reviews have been sharply divided. Rotten Tomatoes currently shows a 52% Tomatometer score and a 72% Popcornmeter score following a lower-than-expected debut. Some critics have hailed it as one of the most daring studio films in years, while others have criticized it as a heavy-handed satire that overestimates its own cleverness.

Even those who were not fond of the film often highlighted Cruise’s committed performance and Ahmed’s work. Inarritu has acknowledged that the film is not without its flaws, but he enjoys taking risks. This sentiment aligns with the film’s reputation as a bold and divisive project.

History is replete with films that initially flopped at the box office but later gained a devoted following, which is precisely the argument being made by the film’s advocates. Whether ‘Digger’ will join that list remains to be seen, as its fate depends on audience reactions over time. For now, the film is at the heart of a very public discussion about art, commerce, and loyalty in Hollywood.

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