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Tom Cruise’s latest film, Digger, is projected to lose around $245 million over its theatrical run after ticket sales plunged in its second weekend, potentially making it one of the biggest box office failures of the year, Variety reported on Sunday.
The environmental satire, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, has earned $14.4 million in North America and $35.3 million worldwide after its second weekend in cinemas. Ticket sales fell 60 per cent in its second weekend, adding to concerns over the film’s commercial prospects.
Warner Bros had initially anticipated theatrical losses of between $150 million and $200 million, but the latest performance has raised expectations of a bigger financial setback.
The film is projected to finish its theatrical run with about $50 million in global ticket sales. It needs an estimated $350 million worldwide to break even, taking into account cinemas’ share of ticket revenue. A Warner Bros spokesperson put the break-even figure at $300 million.
The dark comedy features Cruise as a wealthy oil tycoon whose company triggers a potential catastrophe. The film was a costly gamble as an original production at a time when Hollywood studios face an increasingly challenging theatrical market.
Warner Bros initially approved a production budget of $125 million, but costs reportedly climbed to between $160 million and $180 million after filming ran over schedule. The studio also spent about $100 million on global marketing, according to sources cited by Variety.
The film’s poor box office performance came despite public support from Hollywood figures including Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Guillermo del Toro and Mandy Patinkin, who encouraged audiences to watch it in cinemas.
Although theatrical revenue is only one source of income for films, the weak performance could complicate Digger‘s path to profitability through streaming, television and other distribution deals. Cruise’s contract, which reportedly allows him to receive a share of revenue before the studio recoups its costs, could further delay the film’s break-even point.
The release is also a setback for Warner Bros, which has faced commercial disappointments this year, including The Bride and Supergirl. None of the studio’s films released this year has crossed $100 million at the North American box office, according to the report.
Warner Bros co-chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who oversaw the studio’s successful 2025 slate featuring Sinners, A Minecraft Movie and Weapons, left the company last Friday as Digger arrived in cinemas.
The studio is looking to December’s release of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part III, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, to strengthen its box office prospects.
