Despite a prominent actor’s return to serious roles, an Oscar-winning director, and extensive publicity comparable to the moon landing, the film “Digger” appears to be heading toward becoming one of the most significant box office failures of the year.
As reported by Variety, the dark comedy directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and starring Tom Cruise experienced a substantial budget increase from the initial $125 million US to $160-180 million US, with a break-even point estimated around $350 million US including marketing expenses. Warner Bros. disputed this figure, stating their break-even point is closer to $300 million US.
The film only brought in $1.2 million US during previews and is projected by Warner to earn just $12-15 million US domestically in its opening weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter. This underwhelming performance adds to Warner Bros.’s streak of disappointing releases this year, following other films like “The Bride!”, “Supergirl,” “The End of Oak Street,” and “Practical Magic 2” which all seemed to suffer losses.
“Digger,” a peculiar tale about an oil magnate forced to rectify a disaster caused by his drilling, was always a risky venture. Opting out of the festival circuit, the R-rated black comedy relied on positive word-of-mouth and star power to attract audiences to theaters.
Directed by Iñárritu, known for his acclaimed works like “Birdman” and “The Revenant,” the film faced early negative critiques that could jeopardize its success. Despite some positive feedback, including praise from CBC film critic Jackson Weaver, many critics believed “Digger” was too unconventional to recoup its budget.
Warner Bros. now faces challenges following a successful 2025, with their 2026 lineup lacking major hits. Even their more successful releases like “Wuthering Heights,” “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy,” and “Evil Dead Burn” did not surpass $100 million US domestically. The film’s potential failure could place it among 2026’s other notable flops like “Melania” and “Desert Warrior.”
While “Digger” may not perform well at the box office, there is speculation about Tom Cruise’s potential success at the Academy Awards and the film’s appeal on streaming platforms due to Cruise’s established fan base. The film’s failure coincides with Warner Bros.’s impending acquisition by Paramount and the reported departure of key film executives following the merger, raising questions about the conglomerate’s future artistic decisions.