{
  "id": 12131619,
  "title": "Anatomy of a flop: ‘Digger’ a disaster at box office and a major misfire for Tom Cruise",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/anatomy-of-a-flop-digger-a-disaster-at-box-office-and-a-major-misfire",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T10:41:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/05/anatomy-of-a-flop-digger-a-disaster-at-box-office-and-a-major-misfire-for-tom-cruise"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Tom Cruise's black comedy film Digger has performed poorly at the box office. The film, directed by Alejandro Inarritu, has earned $20 million worldwide, with $8 million of that coming from North America. This marks Cruise's lowest opening weekend in nearly two decades.\n\nThe film's poor performance is significant given its large budget of $125 million, plus an additional $100 million spent on promotions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Digger is set to lose almost $150 million. The film has received mixed reviews from critics, with a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.\n\nDigger was also withdrawn from cinemas in Hong Kong and Macau at the last minute, with local media suggesting that \"sensitive dialogue\" was the reason. The film's release was not scheduled for mainland China. Despite the film's poor performance, Tom Cruise has expressed his pride in the project, calling it an \"honour\" and a \"truly unforgettable experience\".",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Tom Cruise calls Digger an ‘honour’ as it bombs with $20 mn opening, set to lose $150 mn",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/tom-cruise-calls-digger-an-honour-as-it-bombs-with-20-mn-opening-set",
        "published": "2026-10-05T07:18:53.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}