Tom Cruise unfazed as “Digger” stumbles at box office—calls it “a lasting piece of cinema”

Tom Cruise’s new movie “Digger” opened to an estimated $8 million in the U.S. and Canada, giving the star one of his weakest theatrical debuts in nearly two decades. The satirical black comedy earned about $12 million overseas, bringing its worldwide opening to roughly $20 million, according to Warner Bros., as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The result places pressure on a film that reportedly cost far more than its original studio estimate. The production budget has been reported at between $160 million and $180 million, while marketing added about $100 million, Variety reported. The film would need to earn about $350 million worldwide in theaters to break even.

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A costly bet on an original film

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Digger” marks Cruise’s first major non-action role in almost a decade, Variety confirmed. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon whose drilling operation in Antarctica triggers a global disaster. He also takes on multiple roles in the film, including a character portrayed as an enthusiastic polluter.

The film’s opening is the lowest for a Cruise-led movie since 2007’s “Lions for Lambs,” without adjusting for inflation, according to The Wall Street Journal. Variety reported that the movie could lose between $150 million and $200 million theatrically.

Film-industry analyst David A. Gross said “Digger” would lose substantial money even with additional revenue from home entertainment and other outlets, according to The Wall Street Journal. The film’s performance also highlights the difficulty studios face in persuading audiences to see expensive, original movies in theaters, outside established franchises and horror films.

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Cruise looks beyond opening weekend

Per Variety, Cruise addressed the film’s release in an interview on the “On Film With Kevin McCarthy” podcast published as “Digger” opened. “When I am making [movies], I'm not going, ‘Opening weekend!’” he said, adding, “I feel very much like we're going to make something that is a lasting piece of cinema,” according to Variety.

Cruise and Iñárritu discussed “Blade Runner,” which initially struggled before gaining recognition as a landmark science-fiction film, Variety reported. Cruise also pointed to “Rain Man” and “Born on the Fourth of July” as movies that remained in theaters for long runs.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Digger” is the final Warner Bros. release before Paramount’s planned acquisition of the studio’s parent company closes. The film therefore arrives at the end of Warner Bros.’ 103-year run as an independent studio, after the company spent several years backing costly original projects from acclaimed filmmakers.