Despite the return of a prominent actor to serious roles, an acclaimed director with two Oscars, and substantial media attention comparable to the moon landing, the film “Digger” seems destined to be one of the most significant box office failures this year.
Reported by Variety, the dark comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and featuring Tom Cruise experienced a budget increase from its initial $125 million US to $160-180 million US, requiring a box office revenue of around $350 million US to break even, factoring in marketing expenses (although Warner Bros. contests this, stating their break-even point is approximately $300 million US).
With only $1.2 million US earned in previews, as per the Hollywood Reporter, Warner projects a disappointing domestic opening weekend revenue of $12-15 million US for the film. This poor performance follows a series of underperforming Warner Bros. releases in 2026, including “The Bride!,” “Supergirl,” “The End of Oak Street,” and “Practical Magic 2,” potentially culminating in one of the studio’s biggest failures in recent years.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale about an oil magnate tasked with resolving a disaster caused by his own drilling, took a risk by bypassing the festival circuit, banking on positive word-of-mouth and star power to draw audiences to theaters. This strategy, geared towards Cruise fans and avoiding early critical reviews, seemed logical as it marked the actor’s first non-franchise film since the 2017 Barry Seal biopic “American Made.”
Directed by Iñárritu, known for his Oscar-winning films “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” the initial critical feedback hinted at a potential downfall as negative press began to surface. The film has been criticized as “the worst movie of Tom Cruise’s career” by the Boston Globe, labeled a “metafictional morass” by RogerEbert.com, and described as a “lumbering white elephant” by the New York Times. Responding to the unfavorable reviews, the producers released an advertisement showing Cruise’s character berating critics.
Despite some positive reviews, there is a widespread belief that “Digger” might be too unconventional and eccentric to recoup its budget, posing a challenge for Warner Bros. after a successful 2025. While films like “Wuthering Heights,” “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy,” and “Evil Dead Burn” garnered decent numbers, no Warner movie has surpassed $100 million US domestically in 2026.
In potential worst-case scenarios, “Digger” could join the ranks of 2026’s major flops, such as “Melania” and “Desert Warrior,” further complicating Warner Bros.’ financial outlook. Nevertheless, there remains speculation on the film’s value, its potential for Academy Awards success for Cruise, and its appeal on streaming platforms.
The film’s failure coincides with Warner Bros.’ impending acquisition by Paramount and the reported departure of key film executives. The artistic risks taken by “Digger” and its poor box office performance may signal challenges for the conglomerate’s future creative decisions.