The cinematic landscape has seen its share of high-budget films fail to connect with audiences, but the struggles of 'Digger' are particularly striking. With an estimated production budget between $125 million and $180 million—before marketing costs—the film has only managed to pull in a paltry $20 million worldwide, with just $8 million domestically. As reported by EcranLarge.com, citing a The Wrap article, the total losses for the studio could soar to around $250 million, far exceeding initial projections. This financial catastrophe positions 'Digger' as potentially the biggest box office flop of Tom Cruise's illustrious career, and a significant setback for Hollywood in recent memory.
The grim trend for 'Digger' has extended to the French market. In its opening week, the film landed in fifth place on the weekly charts, struggling to draw audiences despite a wide release. It attracted a mere 165,000 viewers, a figure considerably lower than 'Verity', another new American release that week, which brought in 235,000 spectators with fewer screens (384 compared to 'Digger's 503).
This performance is particularly disappointing when viewed against the backdrop of both Iñárritu's and Cruise's previous successes in France. For instance, Iñárritu's critically acclaimed 'The Revenant', starring Leonardo DiCaprio, opened to an impressive 1.4 million admissions in France. Even his earlier film, 'Birdman', managed to secure over 263,000 viewers upon its release. Tom Cruise's non-franchise films have also historically fared better; 'Barry Seal', for example, garnered 271,000 entries in its French debut, despite having fewer screens than 'Digger' (366).
To find a comparable opening week figure lower than 'Digger's, one would have to look back to the quiet 2012 release of 'Rock Forever', which only managed 55,000 admissions. With upcoming releases like 'Les Misérables', 'Street Fighter', 'Clayface', and 'Le Roi du Game' set to hit French cinemas in the coming weeks, there is little hope for 'Digger' to recover or find a renewed interest among moviegoers. The film seems destined to remain a cautionary tale of a high-profile collaboration that failed to resonate.