Tom Cruise’s latest film, the satirical black comedy ‘Digger,’ has opened to sharply divided critical reviews and a disappointing box office performance. The Warner Bros. release, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, earned just $8 million from 3,300 North American theaters in its opening weekend, finishing fifth domestically.
The film, which carries a production budget of $125 million, also added $12 million internationally for a worldwide opening total of $20 million. That marks Cruise’s lowest domestic opening since 2007’s ‘Lions for Lambs,’ which debuted to $6.7 million.
Critics were almost evenly split on the film. On Rotten Tomatoes, ‘Digger’ holds a 51% approval rating from critics, making it Cruise’s first certified ‘rotten’ movie in nine years. The review aggregator Metacritic shows a score of 44 out of 100.
Audiences have been slightly more receptive. ‘Digger’ earned a 72% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore from opening-night moviegoers, the lowest grade of Cruise’s career. The CinemaScore was based on exit polls conducted by market research firm CinemaScore.
In the film, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon whose reckless drilling operation in Greenland triggers an environmental catastrophe. The actor wears heavy facial prosthetics and a faux beer belly for the role. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons and Emma D’Arcy.
The critical response has been fiercely polarized. USA Today’s Brian Truitt awarded the film three out of four stars and wrote that Cruise ‘is the best thing about Iñárritu’s latest effort.’ In a four-star review, the BBC called the film the ‘weirdest film’ Cruise has ever made and noted its ‘limitless, daredevil ambition.’
Negative reviews were equally forceful. The Hollywood Reporter’s chief film critic David Rooney called the film ‘dead and buried,’ writing that it is ‘basically what happens when you put two outsize egos together with nobody holding the reins to keep their most self-indulgent impulses in check.’ The Boston Globe described it as a ‘turgid, unfunny and borderline unwatchable 128-minute mess.’
Variety’s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman wrote that although the film feels like a comedy, it failed to actually be funny. ‘I’m not sure that Digger is going to connect, because it’s so full of itself — so top-heavy with importance,’ Gleiberman wrote. He added that the movie’s $125 million budget was ‘a testament to the arrogance of the filmmakers.’
Warner Bros. responded to the negative reviews with a new advertisement that embraced the film’s divisive reception. The ad features quotes from critics who loved and hated the movie, alternating phrases like ‘unpleasant’ and ‘masterpiece,’ ‘baffling’ and ‘brilliant.’ It includes a clip of Cruise’s character saying, ‘You know what? F— those people!’ The ad ends with another clip of Digger speaking vaguely: ‘They’re afraid to tell the truth — whatever that is.’
Tom Cruise publicly addressed the film’s reception on social media. In a post on X, he wrote: ‘DIGGER is officially in theaters and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists. Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work, and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable and I’m so proud of what we created.’
Guillermo del Toro also came to the film’s defense on X. ‘Love it or not. And yes, I do. The film delivers in scale, ambition and reach at a theatrical screen level. Daring, bold and cinematically complex. Decidedly a theatrical experience,’ del Toro wrote. He compared the negative reviews to the initial reception of ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘The King of Comedy’ and ‘The Counselor,’ all of which later found appreciation with audiences.
The box office result comes as Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is set to close. ‘Digger’ marks an inauspicious final release for Warner Bros. before the merger is finalized.
Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Verity,’ starring Anne Hathaway, won the weekend with $32.6 million domestically. ‘Resident Evil’ came in second with $12.5 million, followed by ‘Heart of the Beast’ with $11 million and ‘Primetime’ with $8 million.
As of Oct. 5, ‘Digger’ remains in theaters with a 51% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71% audience score. The film is expected to post a significant financial loss for Warner Bros.