Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Set to Become One of Hollywood’s Biggest Box Office Flops
Tom Cruise has long been considered a reliable star in Hollywood. Even films that received poor reviews have typically opened well, contributing to his impressive total gross of over $14 billion across 53 titles, as reported by Deadline.
When Warner Bros. decided to back an unusual, high-budget dark comedy from an Oscar-winning director, it seemed like a risk the studio could manage. ‘Digger’ was intended to be Cruise’s significant creative venture and a potential awards contender.
However, it appears that ‘Digger’ may become one of the most notable box office failures in recent history. According to Deadline, the film is projected to cost Warner Bros. over $150 million, and early figures suggest this estimate could be accurate.
The film debuted on October 2 in approximately 3,300 theaters across North America, earning a mere $8 million domestically. Internationally, it garnered an additional $12 million from 74 markets, resulting in a global total of just $20 million. This marks Cruise’s lowest opening since 2007’s ‘Lions for Lambs,’ which opened to $6.7 million, and it significantly underperformed compared to Warner Bros.’ expectations of $12 million to $15 million.
Audience reception was also lackluster. ‘Digger’ received a C+ CinemaScore and holds a score of around 51% to 52% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it Cruise’s first “rotten” film since ‘The Mummy’ in 2017. It debuted in fifth place at the domestic box office, according to The A.V. Club.
The film’s budget is a significant concern. While ‘Digger’ was officially budgeted at $125 million, extended filming in the UK raised the total cost to about $160 million, with Variety suggesting it could be as high as $180 million. Adding around $100 million for global marketing, Deadline’s analysis estimates Warner Bros.’ total expenditure at approximately $275 million.
In contrast, the studio expects to earn about $127 million from theatrical releases, home entertainment, and television, assuming the film reaches around $50 million globally and benefits from premium VOD. This leaves a projected loss of about $148 million, which could increase if home video sales are disappointing. Warner Bros. reportedly set the theatrical break-even point at around $300 million, while IndieWire cites a figure closer to $350 million.
For context, Consequence notes that ‘The Mummy’ had a budget of about $195 million but still managed to gross over $409 million worldwide, a figure ‘Digger’ is unlikely to match. The Playlist suggests that Warner Bros. may now be left with a $150 million reminder of why studios are cautious about such ambitious projects.
On paper, the collaboration seemed prestigious. The film features Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon who must avert a global disaster he inadvertently caused, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Revenant.’ The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons.
Cruise appears almost unrecognizable, donning a bodysuit and prosthetics, and he forgoes the typical ‘Mission: Impossible’ stunts that usually drive his films. Reviews have been mixed, with some critics praising his performance as bold and electrifying, while others found the satire to be overblown and tiring. The Hollywood Reporter mentions that Warner Bros. has experimented with various marketing strategies, including an advertisement highlighting favorable reviews from French critics.
Despite the film’s struggles, Cruise has remained engaged. Following the release, he shared behind-the-scenes photos on social media, expressing gratitude to the cast and crew, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A new trailer for ‘DIGGER’ has been released. In theaters October 2. https://t.co/kTEeFZI14E
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 9, 2026
The timing of the release adds another layer of complexity. ‘Digger’ is the final film released by Warner Bros. before its complete integration into Paramount Skydance, and Mandatory reports that David Ellison chose not to honor the contracts of studio heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who approved the project.
Whether ‘Digger’ will find a second chance on premium VOD remains uncertain. For now, it serves as a cautionary tale about the risks involved when a star’s devoted audience is asked to follow him into a more unconventional and costly venture.
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