Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Craters with $8M Opening, Set to Lose $150M
Tom Cruise’s new film 'Digger' has suffered a massive box office failure, grossing only $8 million domestically and $20 million globally in its opening weekend. The film, which cost $160 million to produce and another $100 million to market, is projected to lose between $150 million and $200 million. This marks Cruise’s lowest opening in 19 years and serves as a final, costly stumble for Warner Bros. before its merger with Paramount.
Key points
- The film earned $8 million in North America and $20 million worldwide, falling far short of the $12-15 million domestic projection and the $40 million needed to justify its budget.
- With a production cost of $160 million and marketing spend of $100 million, the film faces a break-even point of $300-350 million, making a loss of $150-200 million likely.
- The film received a 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'C+' grade from CinemaScore, indicating poor audience reception both domestically and internationally.
- The failure is described as the last standalone release for Warner Bros. before the studio merges with Paramount, a deal expected to close this week.
- Marketing efforts focused on Cruise’s legacy rather than the film’s content, which critics and audiences found baffling and unpleasant.
Background
Prior to release, 'Digger' generated sharply divided critical reactions following its September premiere, with some praising Cruise’s performance and others dismissing the execution. These early reviews raised concerns about the film’s commercial viability and its potential as an Oscar contender, foreshadowing the poor box office performance reported this week.
How outlets are covering it
Variety emphasizes the failure of the marketing strategy, noting that the campaign relied on Cruise’s legacy rather than the film's content, and that negative word-of-mouth killed curiosity. Deadline focuses on the financial disaster, highlighting the $150 million loss and the context of the Warner Bros.-Paramount merger, noting that the film's failure coincides with the departure of Warner Bros. leadership. Yahoo provides the basic box office figures, confirming the $8 million domestic and $20 million global opening, and notes that the film was outperformed by 'Verity' in the same weekend.
Why it matters
The failure of 'Digger' represents a significant financial loss for Warner Bros. and a major box office stumble for Tom Cruise, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. It also highlights the risks of high-budget, auteur-driven films in the current market and serves as a final, costly release for Warner Bros. before its merger with Paramount, potentially impacting the studio’s future financial standing and strategic direction.
What to watch
The film is expected to continue losing money in subsequent weeks, with a projected global gross of $50 million. The Warner Bros.-Paramount merger is expected to close this week, and the new entity will inherit the film's losses and other assets from Warner Bros. The film's performance may also impact Cruise's 2027 Oscar campaign and his future projects.
- ‘Digger’ Down: 5 Takeaways After Tom Cruise Suffers One of His Biggest Box Office Bombs Variety
- ‘Digger,’ Warner Bros.’ Last Release Before Merger, Is a Major Flop The New York Times
- 'Digger': Tom Cruise Movie Bombs at Box Office, Will Lose $150 Million Deadline
- ‘Digger’ Collapses at the Box Office as Warner Film Chiefs Exit Bloomberg.com
- Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Crashes to $8 Million Opening as ‘Verity’ Leaves It Far Behind Yahoo
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