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Tom Cruise’s latest film, Digger, is expected to lose a significant amount, according to Hollywood analysts. The film has struggled at the box office, with ticket sales dropping by about 60% during its second weekend in cinemas. Source: bbc.co.uk.
Box Office Performance
As of its second weekend, Digger has generated a global total that falls significantly short of its production and marketing costs.
The film was estimated to have cost Warner Bros. a substantial amount to produce and market. To break even, analysts say it would need to earn a considerable sum worldwide. A Warner Bros. spokesperson later revised that figure.
Comparison to Past Films
Digger joins a list of films that have lost nine-figure sums. These include 1995’s Cutthroat Island, 2002’s The Adventures of Pluto Nash, 2005’s Sahara, and 2012’s John Carter.
Other films with reported losses in the tens of millions include Mars Needs Moms (2011), Amsterdam (2022), The 13th Warrior (1999), The Marvels (2023), and Speed Racer (2008).
Director and Critical Reception
The film is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, known for Birdman, Babel, and The Revenant. It received generally poor reviews from critics, prompting Warner Bros. to launch a new marketing campaign urging audiences to ‘decide for themselves’.
Related Box Office Struggles
Another recent release, The Social Reckoning — a film by Aaron Sorkin — also underperformed. It earned a modest amount in the U.S. on its opening weekend. Its global earnings reached a modest total. The film, which tells the true story of Facebook engineer Frances Haugan, was outperformed by titles such as Other Mommy, Verity, and Heart of the Beast in the U.S. box office.
Context: Warner Bros. and Cruise’s Film Legacy
Digger was the last standalone film released by Warner Bros. before its recent acquisition by Paramount. It marks a shift in the studio’s output, as it follows a series of successful franchises starring Tom Cruise, including Top Gun and Mission: Impossible.
Tom Cruise said in a recent interview that he does not focus on opening weekend numbers. Instead, he emphasizes making films that ‘hopefully will translate, last and evolve’.
