Tom Cruise stands by Digger despite scathing reviews and record low box office start: ‘So proud of what we created’

Tom Cruise has said that he is ‘proud’ of Digger despite the film receiving bad reviews from critics and one of the worst openings in the actor's career.
Published on: Oct 5, 2026, 09:51:06 IST
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The world may not be digging Tom Cruise's latest film, Digger, but the actor is proudly standing behind the film. It seems the actor is not keeping his focus on the box office numbers or reviews, even as Digger fails to make a mark either with the critics or audiences. Instead, the actor has chosen to stand by the film, sharing behind-the-scenes pictures and thanking the team for their work.
Tom Cruise defends Digger
On Sunday, Tom Cruise shared a post on his Instagram account and expressed his thoughts on the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed film. Sharing pictures from the shoot, the actor thanked the cast and crew for their work and said he was proud of the film they made together.
“Digger is officially in theaters and I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists,” Cruise posted. “Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable and I’m so proud of what we created.”
Digger's horrid time in theatres
Digger was released by Warner Bros. in around 3,300 theatres across North America, a wide release. The film follows an egotistical oil tycoon whose actions lead to a natural disaster, and now he must convince the world that he is their only hope. Riz Ahmed, John Goodman and Sandra Hüller also star in the film. While the performances have been praised, the film has had a difficult start at the box office.
The movie, made on a reported budget of $125 million, opened to a mere $8 million in its first weekend in North America, the lowest for a Tom Cruise film since 2007. The film's Rotten Tomatoes score also sits at just 50%, with many reviews calling it ‘baffling’ or a ‘misfire’.
Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson's Verity, which was also released in theatres on the same day, dominated at the box office, earning $33 million, four times what Digger made. The last time a Tom Cruise film opened worse was in 2007 with Robert Redford's Lions For Lambs. However, the political drama was a low-budget film and eventually recouped its budget. That looks difficult for Digger, which has a break-even point of around $300 million.
| Top movies this weekend at the North American box office | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Verity | $32.6 million |
| 2 | Resident Evil | $12.5 million |
| 3 | Heart of the Beast | $11 million |
| 4 | Primetime | $8 million |
| 5 | Digger | $8 million |
| 6 | Forgotten Island | $7.2 million |
| 7 | Avengers Endgame Encore | $4.4 million |
| 8 | Drishyam The Conclusion | $2.7 million |
| 9 | Practical Magic | $2.7 million |
| 10 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | $2.5 million |
All about Digger
The film takes Tom Cruise back to the kind of filmmaker-led projects he worked on earlier in his career, including Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July and Magnolia. The actor transformed into an action star with the success of the Mission Impossible franchise in the late 1990s. Tom Cruise is expected to return to action films soon, with Days of Thunder 2 set to begin production.
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