Moviegoers didn’t like “Digger,” to put it mildly.
Saddled with terrible reviews and negative word of mouth, Tom Cruise’s absurdist black comedy exploded at the box office with $8 million in North America and $20 million worldwide in its first weekend of release. Those dismal ticket sales fell short of earlier projections of $12 million to $15 million and far from the $40 million domestic debut that box office experts suggest a film of this size would need to justify its price tag.
With a production budget between $160 million and $180 million, “Digger” is gearing up to become not only one of the biggest failures of the year, but potentially of all time. Warner Bros. spent another $100 million on marketing efforts, so “Digger” has a theatrical break-even point of about $350 million globally, according to executives familiar with similar films. A studio spokesperson countered, saying the film’s break-even point was $300 million. Since “Digger” is unlikely to come close to either of those numbers, the film is poised to lose at least $150 million to $200 million in theaters. It’s a sad coda for Warner Bros. as the 103-year-old studio’s last standalone release before merging with Paramount. (The deal is expected to close this week.)
Here are five takeaways from “Digger’s” opening weekend.
The bad buzz has killed all curiosity
Cruise may be one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but even his name alone can’t sell an offbeat, R-rated environmental satire about an oil tycoon who triggers a potential global disaster. This is where reviews and word of mouth are crucial. Unfortunately, neither critics nor moviegoers responded to “Digger,” which earned a 51% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a “C+” rating in CinemaScore exit polls. Warner Bros. attempted to embrace the negativity with Instagram and X-rated spots that asked people to “decide for themselves” after critics lambasted the film as “unpleasant” and “disconcerting.” It was a fun gamble for social media, but it’s not the kind of sentiment that makes anyone want to part with their hard-earned cash.
Author changes are necessary for Hollywood’s survival, but they can’t come with blank checks
Like many films greenlit by the co-chairmen of Warner Bros. Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, “Digger” costs way too much to get out of the red in this difficult box office environment. The studio’s bold bet on “Sinners” paid off financially after the R-rated horror film became a huge hit with $371 million against a $90 million price tag. But the majority of their big-budget gambles — from 2024’s “Joker: Folie à Deux” to 2025’s “Mickey 17” to “The Bride!” » of 2026! – lost one tonne money for the studio.
Cruise has been a box office hit since the ’80s, thanks to films like “Risky Business,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Top Gun.” And he became synonymous with action stardom thanks to the long-running “Mission: Impossible” franchise. Meanwhile, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s strong commercial track record includes 2014’s “Birdman” and 2015’s “The Revenant,” which earned numerous Oscar nominations in addition to scoring at the box office. That’s why De Luca and Abdy were willing to spend big on “Digger.” For Hollywood, it’s not about avoiding taking creative risks. But even a duo with their background cannot have carte blanche these days to make a resolutely not for the mainstream crowds.
International box office crisis
Overseas audiences were supposed to be the saving grace after domestic showings began to plummet in the days leading up to the release. Cruise films generally make the majority of their money at the international box office anyway. Perhaps that’s why another Warner Bros. marketing spot. tried to suggest that only Americans didn’t like “Digger.” Turns out that wasn’t entirely true. The film also flopped overseas with a paltry $12 million from 73 markets. Ouch.
Cruise’s unconventional press tour didn’t please today’s moviegoers
Cruise doesn’t engage with the press, which historically hasn’t mattered much for “Mission: Impossible” or “Top Gun” sequels. He was able to promote these films by touting the death-defying stunts he performs playing globe-trotting IMF agent Ethan Hunt or pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell – including climbing the Burj Khalifa or piloting real fighter jets.
His only kinetically impressive feat for “Digger” was sitting in the makeup chair for six hours and donning a big suit. Cruise has worked (albeit selectively) to talk about the film, making the rounds on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast and other high-influence spots, sitting for his first cover in two decades with GQ magazine and dancing through the spiritual tunnel on “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” In these interviews, he managed to avoid any revealing questions while turning each answer into an opportunity to reiterate his adoration for the big screen. Instead of generating excitement around “Digger,” most of his press efforts ended up polarizing the masses and failing to make a difference.
Marketing can’t hinge campaign on Cruise’s cinematic legacy
Since there were no new stunts to sell, the Warner Bros. marketing department decided to sell them. chose to position “Digger” as an ode to Mr. Movies. The first trailers for “Digger” doubled as a Cruise retrospective, with a three-minute montage reflecting on his 46-year career with clips from “Top Gun,” “Risky Business,” “Jerry Maguire,” “A Few Good Men” and “Mission: Impossible” before introducing the world to “Digger.” (It was a curious choice given that Iñárritu says he made “Digger” as a “love letter to the younger generation,” many of whom weren’t alive when these films were showing in theaters.) Fans of any age can’t be expected to buy a ticket just because they loved Cruise’s previous blockbusters. On YouTube, the caption for the first teaser for “Digger” reads: “We’ve never trusted a man more. » After this weekend, that statement might come with an asterisk.
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