For a movie about a global catastrophe, it's almost fitting that its release has been a disaster of epic proportions. Tom Cruise, long considered one of Hollywood's most reliable box office draws, has seen his latest and most ambitious project yet fail to connect with audiences in a way that's frankly shocking. After opening to some of the worst numbers of Cruise's storied career, things have only spiraled further, with the film now suffering an unprecedented collapse in its third weekend as theaters across the country pull the plug.
'Digger' has officially been removed from over 2,700 theaters in its third weekend, a staggering 76.3% drop from its original 3,321 North American locations. The film is now playing in just 560 theaters, marking one of the most dramatic theatrical collapses for a major Hollywood release in recent memory. The movie earned a paltry $900,774 over the weekend, a further 71.9% decline from the previous frame, with a per-theater average of just $1,146. For context, that's less than many indie films make in a single screen.
The film's official synopsis reads: “The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, a billionaire oil tycoon who tries to convince the world he can save humanity from a catastrophe he himself caused. While his performance has been widely praised, the movie itself has divided critics and audiences alike.
How Badly Has 'Digger' Flopped?
Opening to just $8 million domestically and finishing fifth at the box office, 'Digger' never stood a chance. An additional $12 million internationally brought its global opening to roughly $20 million, but things have only gotten worse since. The film now sits at just $17.22 million domestically and $41.72 million worldwide—a catastrophic result for a movie that reportedly cost Warner Bros. around $180 million before marketing. With the film now playing in fewer than 800 theaters, its chances of recovering through the domestic theatrical market are virtually nil.
This isn't just a bad weekend for Cruise; it's a historic flop that will likely go down as one of the biggest bombs of his career. For comparison, his recent 2020s filmography has been a mix of hits and misses, but nothing this severe. Even his sci-fi epic 'Oblivion', which had a similar budget, performed far better at the box office.
Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant), the black comedy features a stellar cast including Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire), and Jesse Plemons (Civil War). Despite the talent involved, the film's poor performance is a stark reminder that star power alone can't guarantee box office success.
As 'Digger' fades from theaters, it joins a growing list of high-profile flops this year. 'Practical Magic 2' and DreamWorks' 'Forgotten Island' also suffered massive theater losses, but 'Digger' is on another level entirely. The film's collapse is a cautionary tale for studios betting big on original IP with massive budgets.
With its theatrical run effectively over, all eyes now turn to streaming. Will 'Digger' find a second life on digital platforms, or will it be remembered as one of the biggest bombs in recent memory? Only time will tell, but for now, it's a brutal end to what was supposed to be a triumphant return for Cruise.
Digger is in theaters now, but barely. Stay tuned for more updates.
