Will Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ Continue Warner Bros.’ Dismal Box Office Year? — SkimNews
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- "Digger" is tracking a $12-15 million North American opening, revised down from $18-20 million projections, ahead of its Oct. 2 release
- Warner Bros. greenlit "Digger" at $125 million; sources say the budget climbed to $160-180 million, with a roughly $300-350 million global break-even point needed (WB disputes those figures)
- Tom Cruise receives first-dollar gross on the film and has aggressively promoted it, including a rare "New Heights" podcast appearance and his first GQ cover in two decades
- Alejandro González Iñárritu directs "Digger" — his first theatrical release since "Bardo" more than a decade ago — with a track record including "Revenant" ($533M global) and "Birdman" (best picture)
- Paramount Skydance is imminently closing its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, adding pressure for "Digger" to impress new corporate ownership
- Warner Bros.' 2026 domestic market share has cratered to 6% with no $100 million films, down from 21% and seven $100M-plus grossers in 2025; "The Bride!" will lose $100 million and "Supergirl" $80 million
Why it matters: "Digger" needs roughly $300-350 million globally to break even, yet tracking points to a $12-15 million domestic debut — a math problem that would deepen WB's 2026 losses precisely as Paramount Skydance's pending acquisition makes every dollar count. Cruise's first-dollar-gross deal means the studio bears the downside while the star still profits, and a December "Dune: Part III" is now WB's best hope for salvaging the year.
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