Tom Cruise stars as an overweight, bald oil baron in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s satirical film Digger, which is heading toward a disastrous opening weekend in North America with an estimated eight million dollars from 3,300 cinemas, according to reporting by The Hollywood Reporter. The 64-year-old actor made a heart gesture with his hands to fans during the premiere of the film in Seoul, South Korea on October 2, ahead of its South Korean theatrical release the following day.
The Bottom Line
- The film brought in 1,2 millioner amerikanske dollar on Thursday previews and reached 3.3 million dollars after Friday box office figures were tallied.
- The projected eight million dollar opening weekend falls significantly short of Warner Bros.’ initial projections of 12 to 15 million dollars against a 125 million dollar production budget.
- Audiences awarded the film a C+ on CinemaScore, marking one of the lowest grades recorded in Tom Cruise’s career.
A Dramatic Departure From Blockbuster Action
The satirical project represents a striking stylistic shift for Cruise, who has been known for action films. Cruise steps into the role of an oil baron. Aftenposten noted that the actor displays admirable dedication in the role, though the climate satire ultimately emerges as brautende and self-absorbed. Despite the heavy makeup, viewers can clearly recognize one of the world’s most famous actors playing an old man in a fat suit, with Cruise reportedly enjoying the role more than any other since playing Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder (2008). The film features a half-bad prop representing Digger’s 30-year-old sick cat Maggie, alongside a roaring president complaining about butt cancer and advisors eager to deploy nuclear weapons. Reviewers note the acting is exaggerated and theatrical, occasionally resembling an SNL sketch. While Iñárritu has disagreed in interviews, maintaining he crafted a quite different film, critics report reviewers were asked not to reveal any surprises, leaving jaws dropping after the first 30 minutes. Cruise stood firm against the criticism, sharing a post on X on Saturday stating: I am so proud of what we have created.
Weighing Box Office Realities Against Past Releases
The film’s underwhelming commercial start marks Cruise’s weakest opening weekend since the 2007 war drama Lions for Lambs, which brought in 6.7 million dollars against a lower budget of 35 million dollars and ultimately earned 64.8 million dollars worldwide. While Digger carries a heavy 125 million dollar price tag—roughly 1,2 milliarder norske kroner—it sits well behind the weekend box office leader, the horror film Verity starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson. Critical reception remains deeply divided, holding an approval rating of 51 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewing for VG, Morten Ståle Nilsen awarded the film a three on the traditional Norwegian dice scale and posed the question of why crafting satire centered on the climate crisis proves so difficult.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $125 million (approx. 1,2 milliarder NOK) |
| Projected Opening Weekend | ~$8 million across 3,300 North American theaters |
| Studio Projections | $12 million to $15 million |
| CinemaScore Rating | C+ |
| Rotten Tomatoes Score | 51 prosent |
Cast Collaborations and Creative Ambitions
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, celebrated for intense survival dramas like The Revenant and the single-take style of Birdman, steers this dystopian comedy alongside an ensemble cast featuring Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, and Sandra Hüller.
