Despite the anticipation surrounding a renowned actor’s return to serious roles, an acclaimed two-time Oscar-winning director, and substantial promotional efforts comparable to a historic event, the film “Digger” appears destined to rank among the year’s biggest commercial failures.
According to reports from Variety, the dark comedy, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and featuring Tom Cruise, experienced a significant budget increase from its initial $125 million US budget to a range of $160-180 million US, necessitating a box office performance of around $350 million US to break even when factoring in marketing expenses (Warner Bros. contests this, stating their break-even point is about $300 million US).
The movie only garnered $1.2 million US during previews. As per the Hollywood Reporter, Warner projects a meager domestic weekend earnings of $12-15 million US, marking a disappointing opening amidst a year already marked by underperforming releases. Following a string of unprofitable films like “The Bride!”, “Supergirl”, “The End of Oak Street”, and “Practical Magic 2”, Warner Bros. may face one of its most significant box office flops of the decade with “Digger”.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale revolving around an oil magnate tasked with rectifying a global crisis stemming from his own operations, was always a venture laden with risks. Opting to bypass the festival circuit entirely, the R-rated dark comedy relied on positive word-of-mouth and star power to draw audiences to cinemas.
The decision to sidestep early critical reviews and target Cruise enthusiasts directly seemed sensible, as the film marked the actor’s first venture outside franchise films since the 2017 Barry Seal biopic “American Made”.
Despite being helmed by Iñárritu, the acclaimed director behind “Birdman” and “The Revenant”, the film faced adverse critical reactions upon its initial reviews, risking its prospects at major awards.
Critics labeled “Digger” as “the worst film in Tom Cruise’s career,” “a convoluted narrative experiment,” and “a cumbersome cinematic endeavor that induces pity for its stakeholders.” In response to the negative feedback, a promotional campaign was launched portraying Cruise’s character berating critics.
Even positive reviews, such as one from CBC, suggested that “Digger” might be too unconventional and avant-garde to recoup its production costs. This places Warner Bros. in a precarious position following a successful 2025, as their 2026 lineup has seen only modest achievements.
The film’s potential failure could align it with other major 2026 disappointments like “Melania” and “Desert Warrior”. Not a single Warner production this year has surpassed $100 million US domestically.
While “Digger” may still hold value for Warner Bros. in various aspects, including potential Academy Awards recognition for Cruise and streaming popularity due to his established brand appeal, its lackluster performance arrives just before the studio’s acquisition by Paramount.
Moreover, the film’s underwhelming reception coincides with reports suggesting changes in Warner’s film leadership post-merger, raising concerns about the conglomerate’s future artistic endeavors and commercial outcomes.