Despite a high-profile actor’s return to serious acting, an acclaimed two-time Oscar-winning director, and significant media buzz comparable to the moon landing, it appears that the film “Digger” is on track to be one of the biggest box-office failures of the year.
As reported by Variety, the dark comedy, helmed by director Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Tom Cruise, experienced a budget increase from its initial $125 million to a range of $160-180 million, requiring a box office performance of around $350 million to break even, factoring in marketing expenses (although Warner Bros. disputed this, stating their break-even point is closer to $300 million). The film only garnered $1.2 million in preview screenings and is projected by Warner to earn just $12-15 million domestically in its opening weekend, marking a disappointing start for the studio in a year already marked by underperforming releases.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale about an oil magnate tasked with rectifying a disaster caused by his drilling activities, always carried inherent risks. The R-rated dark comedy chose to forgo the traditional festival route, placing its faith in positive word-of-mouth and star power to draw audiences to theaters.
The decision to bypass early critical reviews and target Cruise’s fan base directly seemed logical, given that this is the actor’s first non-franchise film since 2017’s “American Made.”
Despite being directed by Iñárritu, known for his acclaimed works like “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” which both received multiple Oscar wins, the film faced early negative critiques that threatened its success. It has been dubbed as “the worst movie in Tom Cruise’s career” by the Boston Globe, “a metafictional maze” by RogerEbert.com, and “a ponderous film that leaves you feeling sorry for everyone involved” by the New York Times. In response to the backlash, an advertisement was released featuring Cruise’s character cursing out critics.
Even critics who admired the film, such as a reviewer from CBC, foresaw that the experimental and unconventional nature of “Digger” would make it challenging to recoup its costs.
Warner Bros. may find itself in a precarious position as “Digger” joins the list of 2026’s major flops alongside films like “Melania” and “Desert Warrior.” While the studio had a successful 2025 with hits like “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another,” their 2026 lineup has struggled to surpass the $100 million mark domestically.
Despite the film’s anticipated failure, there is speculation about Cruise’s potential for Academy Award recognition, and its streaming potential due to his established popularity. However, the disappointment of “Digger” coincides with Warner Bros.’ imminent acquisition by Paramount and reports suggesting changes in the leadership post-merger, signaling potential shifts in the conglomerate’s future creative decisions.