Despite a celebrated actor’s return to serious acting, an acclaimed two-time Oscar-winning director, and significant publicity, the film “Digger” appears to be heading towards becoming one of the year’s most significant box-office failures.
As per reports from Variety, the dark comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Tom Cruise experienced a significant budget increase from $125 million to $160-180 million, with a break-even point estimated around $350 million when factoring in marketing expenses. Warner Bros. disputed this, stating their break-even figure is approximately $300 million.
The film only garnered $1.2 million in previews and is anticipated to earn just $12-15 million domestically this weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Warner Bros. foresees this as a disappointing opening amidst a year filled with underperforming releases. Following a series of unsuccessful films like “The Bride!,” “Supergirl,” “The End of Oak Street,” and “Practical Magic 2,” Warner Bros. may face one of its most significant flops in recent years.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale about an oil magnate tasked with averting a catastrophe caused by his own drilling activities, was always a risky venture. Opting out of 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 award-winning films “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” the film faced early critical backlash before its release. Critics dubbed it “the worst movie of Tom Cruise’s career,” “a metafictional morass,” and “a lumbering white elephant of a movie.”
Despite some favorable reviews, many critics predicted that “Digger” was too experimental to recoup its budget. Warner Bros., after a successful 2025, has had a less impressive 2026, with no film surpassing $100 million domestically.
If “Digger” fails to perform, it could join other 2026 flops like “Melania” and “Desert Warrior.” Nevertheless, there is speculation that the film could still garner recognition at the Academy Awards and attract viewers on streaming platforms due to Cruise’s star power.
The film’s failure coincides with Warner Bros.’ impending acquisition by Paramount and reports of changes in the company’s leadership post-merger. The disappointing box-office results for “Digger,” despite its thematic boldness, may raise concerns about the conglomerate’s future artistic decisions.