Tom Cruise’s 9th Movie With WB Officially Tracking for Box-Office Disaster

Tom Cruise‘s Digger might be destined for a box-office disaster, or so say the recent tracking updates. Despite a massive press effort, the satirical black comedy helmed by Alejandro González Iñárritu has received mixed reactions from critics after the film was unveiled to members of the film press. Amid already divisive reviews, NRG noted that Digger‘s tracking has dropped to a $19 million domestic opening.

Hollywood journalist Matthew Belloni has shared the update, noting that on September 15, the movie debuted at a $20 million opening. That’s a $1 million difference in its tracking within a week. If it goes as predicted, Digger might turn out to be Tom Cruise’s weakest-opening film with Warner Bros. All eight of his previous movies with the studio had better opening weekends than what Digger seems to be aiming for.

Why Is Tom Cruise’s Digger Struggling to Score With Mainstream Audiences

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

After watching Digger, IndieWire’s Anne Thompson has one thing to say: it “is a brave and gorgeous art film” — emphasis on the word “art” here. She believes that the movie will “not score with mainstream audiences.” Digger marks Tom Cruise’s return to serious acting after a decade. There is high anticipation. Critics have already expressed their views on his performance, and it’s not collectively decisive. While Jim Hemphill alike think that it is his best performance since Magnolia, others think the film didn’t give him enough space to explore the nuance and power.

Joey Magidson for Awards Radar has outright described the film as a “mess,” which is “not enjoyable.” In Digger, Tom Cruise plays the titular character, who is a self-obsessed billionaire. The movie also stars Riz Ahmed and John Goodman.

What Is Tom Cruise’s Highest-Grossing Movie With Warner Bros.

Tom Cruise as Digger Rockwell | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Cruise has done eight previous films with Warner Bros. before collaborating on Digger: Edge of Tomorrow, Rock of Ages, The Last Samurai, Eyes Wide Shut, Interview with the Vampire, Risky Business, The Outsiders, and Magnolia.

His highest-grossing film with the studio remains The Last Samurai, which was released in U.S. theaters on December 5, 2003. It earned a total of $111.1 million domestically and $345.7 million internationally, bringing its total worldwide box office to $456.8 million (via The Numbers) on a reported $140 million production budget. Here’s a list of the box-office earnings and budgets of all Tom Cruise movies with Warner Bros., including Digger.

Tom Cruise’s Digger opens in U.S. theaters on October 2, 2026. The global rollout begins on September 30. How much do you think the movie could earn at opening? Let us know below.