Anatomy of a flop: ‘Digger’ a disaster at box office and a major misfire for Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise's ambitious project, "Digger," has been a colossal failure both at the box office and for the studio behind it, Warner Bros. Dubbed a "disaster" and a "major misfire," the film has amassed losses potentially reaching $150-200 million, placing it among the worst of Cruise's career. The movie, which began with modest opening weekend earnings of $8 million domestically and $20 million globally, had a staggering production budget of up to $180 million and an additional $100 million spent on marketing.

To recover its investment, "Digger" needed to gross $300 million, an unattainable goal. Despite the involvement of Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu and Cruise, a global box office sensation, the film has failed to resonate with audiences. The film's ambition and bold eco-satirical twist were met with mixed reactions, leading some critics to label it "pretentious" and "hollow."

This box office setback adds to an already tumultuous year for Warner Bros., which has struggled to achieve $100 million in domestic grosses for its releases. The studio's only saving grace is the anticipated success of "Dune: Part Three" in December, which is expected to generate around $200-230 million globally.