Warner Bros.

Tom Cruise's 'Digger' Projected to Lose $245 Million USD Following Massive Second-Weekend Drop

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s environmental satire faces one of the largest box office losses in cinema history.

by · Hypebeast

Summary

Tom Cruise and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s environmental satire Digger is projected to lose $245 million USD theatrically

Ticket sales fell 60% in its second weekend bringing the film’s global total to $35.3 million USD against a $160 million-plus budget

Warner Bros spent $100 million USD on marketing for the R-rated dark comedy which is expected to end its run around $50 million USD globally

Warner Bros. and director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Digger is tracking to lose an estimated $245 million USD during its theatrical run. The Tom Cruise-led environmental satire suffered a steep 60% box office drop in its second weekend, positioning the feature as one of the largest financial flops in cinema history.

Starring Cruise as a wealthy oil tycoon whose company triggers a potential catastrophe, the R-rated dark comedy generated $14.4 million USD domestically and $35.3 million USD globally after two weekends in theaters. Initially greenlit at $125 million USD, production delays drove the budget up to between $160 million USD and $180 million USD, complemented by an additional $100 million USD spent on global marketing.

With theater owners retaining roughly half of ticket sales, industry sources estimate the film required $350 million USD globally to break even, while studio spokespeople cited a $300 million USD target. Despite vocal support from Hollywood figures like Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, and Guillermo del Toro, the film is expected to cap its theatrical run around $50 million USD globally. The box office downturn follows the recent departure of Warner Bros. co-chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, while Cruise’s backend revenue deal further delays studio profitability.

Digger is currently playing in theaters nationwide.