Digger's $250M Loss Sparks Industry Debate as Anne Hathaway Praises Film
Tom Cruise’s satirical drama Digger has suffered a severe box office failure, with industry estimates projecting a total loss of up to $250 million for Warner Bros. Despite the commercial disaster and mixed critical reception, Anne Hathaway publicly praised the film, calling it brilliant. The failure has intensified scrutiny of the studio’s decision to greenlight the high-budget project and prompted public defense from Cruise’s director and peers.
Key points
- Digger earned only $8 million domestically and $21 million globally in its opening weekend, marking Tom Cruise’s lowest opening in 19 years.
- TheWrap reports the film is projected to lose $250 million, a figure significantly higher than earlier estimates of $150 million from Deadline.
- Anne Hathaway gave the film a 5/5 rating on Letterboxd, describing it as smart, trippy, and ambitious, despite its poor commercial performance.
- Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón publicly defended the film, criticizing negative online sentiment and highlighting the director’s ambition.
- The film’s failure coincides with the transition of Warner Bros. leadership to Skydance, raising questions about the studio’s risk assessment for high-cost auteur projects.
Background
Prior to its release, Digger generated polarized critical reactions, with some praising its bold aesthetic and others questioning its execution. Warner Bros. had previously faced scrutiny over its decision to greenlight the $125 million project, which was developed over a decade. The film’s poor performance follows a similar box office struggle for Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, another high-budget Warner Bros. release.
How outlets are covering it
Outlets disagree on the extent of the financial loss. Deadline estimates the loss at approximately $150 million, while TheWrap reports a total loss of $250 million when factoring in post-theatrical revenue. Just Jared highlights Anne Hathaway’s positive review, contrasting with the film’s poor box office performance. The Hollywood Reporter focuses on the public defense of director Alejandro G. Iñárritu by his peers, Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, who criticized negative online sentiment. Deadline also notes the timing of the failure, coinciding with the transition of Warner Bros. leadership to Skydance, which has raised questions about the studio’s risk assessment for high-cost auteur projects.
Why it matters
The failure of Digger highlights the risks associated with high-budget auteur projects in the current studio landscape. It raises questions about the viability of such projects in the post-merger era of Warner Bros. and Skydance, and the potential impact on future greenlighting decisions for similar films.
What to watch
Warner Bros. and Skydance will likely reassess their approach to high-budget auteur projects. The film’s poor performance may impact Tom Cruise’s 2027 Oscar campaign, as the film’s commercial failure could affect its awards viability. The public defense of the film by its peers may influence future critical and audience reception of similar projects.
- Anne Hathaway Praises Tom Cruise's 'Digger' After Movie Bombs at the Box Office, Calls It 'Brilliant' Just Jared
- 'Digger': Tom Cruise Movie Bombs at Box Office, Will Lose $150 Million Deadline
- As ‘Digger’ Sinks, Hollywood’s Three Amigos Close Ranks The Hollywood Reporter
- Anne Hathaway calls Digger a ‘10/10’ movie after Tom Cruise’s latest bombs at the box office Entertainment Weekly
- Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Will Lose $250 Million | Exclusive TheWrap
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