Opening to a mere $8 million domestically and a global total of $20 million, 'Digger' has struggled to find an audience. This performance is a stark contrast to Cruise's recent triumphs like 'Top Gun: Maverick' and the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise. With a reported net production budget of $160 million, before factoring in an additional estimated $100 million for global marketing, the financial hole for 'Digger' is considerable.

Audience reception has been lukewarm at best, evidenced by a C+ CinemaScore and a 51% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Social media metrics, as reported by RelishMix, showed a rapid decline in positive buzz, with many viewers expressing confusion. "Chatter has been mixed-negative for 'Digger'. There’s skepticism with viewers who love the idea of Cruise, but side-eye the execution," the analytics firm noted, highlighting a disconnect between Cruise's star power and the film's unconventional premise.

'Digger' cast Cruise in an unexpected role – an "old, crusty, balding Texan" oil tycoon whose environmental project goes disastrously wrong. This departure from his typical action hero persona, coupled with the film's "filibustery-dialogue driven satire" about the MAGA era, appears to have alienated a significant portion of his fanbase. An 'O.G. entertainment journalist' quoted by Deadline candidly remarked, "When I see Tom Cruise, I want to see him as the Tom Cruise I know, not with all this makeup."

The film's journey to the big screen was complex. Initially developed by Iñárritu at Netflix, the project eventually landed at Warner Bros. under the stewardship of then-motion picture chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. They greenlit 'Digger' as the first project in a non-exclusive deal with Cruise, reportedly justifying its $125 million production cost (which later rose to $160 million) based on the combined draw of Cruise and Iñárritu. This decision, in hindsight, has become a point of scrutiny, especially as De Luca and Abdy recently departed Warner Bros. amid the ongoing Skydance merger discussions.

Industry insiders often point to the challenge of reining in a star of Cruise's magnitude. One high-level source involved with the 'Mission: Impossible' films commented, "The problem is that there’s no one in Cruise’s camp to tell him ‘no’, and what might not work." However, De Luca and Abdy had previously demonstrated a willingness to push back, notably passing on Cruise's ambitious $270 million underwater thriller 'Deeper' and a $160 million sequel to Michael Mann's 'Heat'.

Despite this significant stumble, 'Digger' is unlikely to derail Cruise's legendary career entirely. His extensive filmography boasts a cumulative box office worth exceeding $14 billion across 53 titles. While 'Digger' was envisioned as a potential awards-season contender, its high budget for what many now see as an arthouse film meant it needed broad commercial appeal it simply couldn't achieve. The film serves as a potent reminder that even the biggest stars and most acclaimed directors can misfire when audience expectations and creative vision collide.

<figure><div><p><img srcset="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg 7842w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=630,420 630w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=60,40 60w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=352,235 352w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=110,73 110w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=285,190 285w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=320,213 320w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=640,427 640w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=800,533 800w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?resize=1280,853 1280w" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" alt="Emmanuel Lubezki, Pamela Abdy, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Tom Cruise, Mary Parent, Andy Sherman and Michael De Luca attend the 'Digger' premiere on Sept. 22, 2026 in London, England." src="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GettyImages-2296620940.jpg?w=300"></p></div><figcaption><span>Emmanuel Lubezki, Pamela Abdy, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Tom Cruise, Mary Parent, Andy Sherman and Michael De Luca attend the ‘Digger’ premiere on Sept. 22, 2026 in London, England.</span><cite>Joe Maher/Getty Images</cite></figcaption></figure>

<figure><div><p><img srcset="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg 1782w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=630,420 630w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=60,40 60w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=352,235 352w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=110,73 110w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=285,190 285w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=320,214 320w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=640,427 640w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=800,534 800w, https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?resize=1280,854 1280w" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" alt="" src="https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Magnolia-2.jpg?w=300"></p></div><figcaption><span>Cruise and Jason Robards Jr. in ‘Magnolia’ </span></figcaption></figure>