Despite the pedigree of Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu, known for critically acclaimed works like The Revenant and Birdman, and a transformative performance from Tom Cruise as the megalomaniacal Digger Rockwell, Digger has stumbled at the global box office. The film, which sees Rockwell embark on a desperate mission to save humanity from a disaster he himself caused, garnered only $8 million in its domestic opening weekend and a mere $12 million internationally.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast on October 12, Ben Affleck passionately defended the film, lamenting the seemingly widespread glee over its commercial struggles. "It's a bit like bullying, with people who haven't even seen the films," Affleck stated, describing Digger as "a rather ambitious and interesting film, made by interesting and talented people."

However, Affleck's primary concern extends beyond the film itself. He warns that studios, observing Digger's financial misstep, might become increasingly risk-averse. "If we punish films that take risks, guess what's going to happen? An avalanche of mediocre films," he cautioned. For Affleck, the industry's reluctance to embrace potential failures stifles innovation. "You can't do anything interesting without taking risks, and that means you're sometimes going to look like an idiot."

Affleck's sentiments found an echo in actress Anne Hathaway, who publicly championed Digger. Writing on Letterboxd, Hathaway awarded the film a perfect 10 out of 10, calling it "brilliant, intelligent, bonkers, impactful, funny, and ambitious." As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, she urged audiences to "see it and make up your own mind." Despite such vocal support from industry peers, Digger continues to struggle for traction, raising questions about the future of bold, original storytelling in mainstream Hollywood.