Despite a notable actor’s comeback to serious acting, a two-time Academy Award-winning director, and significant publicity comparable to the moon landing, the film “Digger” appears destined to rank among this year’s most significant box office failures.
According to reports, the dark comedy, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and featuring Tom Cruise, experienced a budget escalation from $125 million to $160-180 million, necessitating a box office revenue of around $350 million to break even, including marketing expenses (Warner Bros. disputes this figure, stating their break-even point is closer to $300 million). The film only generated $1.2 million in preview screenings and is projected by Warner to earn a mere $12-15 million domestically over the weekend, marking a disappointing opening amidst a year filled with underperforming releases for the studio.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale about an oil magnate tasked with rectifying a calamity caused by his drilling activities, was always a gamble. Opting to bypass the festival circuit, the R-rated black comedy relied on positive word-of-mouth and star power to draw audiences to cinemas.
Directed by Iñárritu, known for his acclaimed works like “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” the film faced early criticism that could jeopardize its success. Critics have labeled it “the worst movie of Tom Cruise’s career,” “a metafictional morass,” and “a lumbering white elephant of a movie.” Despite some positive reviews, including one from a writer who enjoyed the film, there were widespread predictions that the experimental nature of “Digger” would hinder its financial prospects.
Warner Bros. finds itself in a challenging position after a lackluster 2026 slate following a successful 2025. With films like “Wuthering Heights,” “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy,” and “Evil Dead Burn” performing decently but not surpassing $100 million domestically, “Digger” joins the list of potential flops in a year that already saw disappointments like “Melania” and “Desert Warrior.”
Despite the anticipated poor performance, there is speculation that “Digger” could still hold value for Warner Bros., potentially even garnering Academy Awards attention for Tom Cruise. The film’s failure coincides with Warner Bros.’ imminent acquisition by Paramount and the reported departure of key film executives, hinting at potential implications for the conglomerate’s future artistic decisions.