Warner Bros. now expects a bigger financial hit from "Digger," the Tom Cruise and Alejandro González Iñárritu collaboration, after the film's ticket sales fell 60% in its second weekend. According to Variety, which cited knowledgeable sources, the R-rated environmental satire is tracking toward a theatrical loss of $245 million, a figure that would place it among the biggest flops of the year and possibly of any year.
The numbers
Variety reported that "Digger" opened to $8 million in the domestic market and $20 million worldwide. At that point, the studio was reportedly preparing for a theatrical loss between $150 million and $200 million. The second-weekend slide pushed the running totals to $14.4 million domestically and $35.3 million globally.
The outlet says the film is expected to finish with roughly $50 million worldwide. Variety put the break-even point at $350 million, noting that exhibitors keep about half of ticket revenue. A Warner Bros. spokesperson disputed that, saying the figure is $300 million. Either way, the gap is enormous.
The slump came despite public support from Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Guillermo del Toro and Mandy Patinkin, who have urged people to see the film in theaters, according to Variety.
A costly swing
Cruise plays a wealthy oil tycoon whose company triggers a potential catastrophe in what Variety calls an offbeat dark comedy. The trade described it as a rare big-budget, star-driven original tentpole, a risky category in the current market.
Warner Bros. approved a $125 million budget, but Variety says costs rose to between $160 million and $180 million after the shoot ran over schedule. The studio reportedly added another $100 million in global marketing. Sources told the outlet those totals exclude awards spending. A film with a major star and an acclaimed director would typically justify an Oscar campaign of about $15 million, Variety reported, though that effort could shrink given the poor reception.
Reviews were rough enough that the studio ran social media spots telling viewers to "decide for yourself," per Variety.
The path to profit looks long. Variety noted that most films do not turn a profit on theatrical revenue alone, but box office results shape later deals for television, Pay 1 and streaming. It added that Cruise's contract entitles him to a share of revenues before the studio recovers its costs, which will delay profitability further.
A rough year for the studio
"Digger" is Warner Bros.' last standalone release before its merger with Paramount, Variety reported, and it adds to a difficult stretch. The trade pointed to earlier commercial disappointments including "The Bride" and "Supergirl." Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, the studio's co-chiefs, left the company as "Digger" opened. Variety said they presided over a historic 2025 run with "Sinners," "A Minecraft Movie" and "Weapons," but that none of the big bets they moved into this year has crossed $100 million domestically.
Variety expects a turnaround in December, when Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part III," with Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, reaches theaters.
Why it matters
The reported figures are a stark test of how much a star and an auteur can still carry an original, expensive film. With the studio's slate about to change hands and a franchise sequel as its next major hope, "Digger" may become a reference point in debates over what kinds of films get funded at this scale.
Reporting sources: Variety, “Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Now Stands to Lose $245 Million After Dropping 60% in Second Weekend”.