Digger Heads for $245 Million Loss as Tom Cruise Film Stalls at $37.7 Million
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 17
Digger Heads for $245 Million Loss as Tom Cruise Film Stalls at $37.7 Million
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 17
Summary
$245 million in projected losses would place Digger among Hollywood’s biggest flops after the Tom Cruise film grossed just $37.7 million worldwide and is now expected to finish near $50 million.
$175 million in production costs, about $100 million in marketing and theaters’ roughly 50% cut left the film needing about $300 million-$350 million to break even; Cruise’s first-dollar deal further squeezed the studio.
$8 million on its U.S. opening weekend, followed by a 60% second-weekend drop, reflected the damage from savage reviews, a muddled campaign and weak audience response, including a C+ CinemaScore.
Warner Bros’ final release before its Paramount Skydance takeover became a symbol of the industry’s costly auteur-bet strategy, and the debacle was followed by incoming owner David Ellison ousting studio chiefs Michael de Luca and Pam Abdy.
Tom Cruise may still seek awards recognition, but the collapse also suggests audiences prefer his action-star persona over riskier dramatic reinventions, even as a small cult following begins to form around the film.