'Digger' Is Expected to Be Hollywood's Biggest 2026 Flop

Despite being touted as a potential 2027 Oscars contender for awards season, Digger may have a disappointing opening weekend in theaters. According to Variety, Tom Cruise 's new film is expected to gross around $12 million in its first weekend in the United States, a result that could make it Hollywood's biggest box office flop in 2026. The film had an estimated budget of $160 million to $180 million .

The potential for low box office returns is especially worrying for Warner Bros., which has placed Digger among its top bets for the North American fall season and the Oscar race. The film also arrives in theaters after provoking rather extreme reactions among critics, currently holding a 53% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The situation weighs even more heavily on the studio, which comes from a A lackluster year at the box office, marked by disappointing results for productions such as Bride! and Supergirl.

In the movie directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon who ends up triggering an ecological catastrophe and must try to repair the damage he caused. The story revolves around three forces: grief, power, and responsibility.

In addition to Cruise, the cast also includes Sandra Hüller, Emma D'Arcy, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, Jesse Plemons, and John Goodman. Digger is Iñárritu's first work since The Revenant (2015) and Birdman (2014), both Oscar winners.

Digger arrives in theaters on October 2nd.