Tom Cruise leads the cast of Digger as Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon whose actions threaten to trigger a catastrophic ecological disaster, forcing him to try to save humanity. The film is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, known for Birdman and The Revenant, and is scheduled for theatrical release on October 2, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
Cruise underwent a heavy prosthetic and physical transformation to portray the character, appearing with a gray comb-over, pot belly, and a southern accent that made him nearly unrecognizable. At 64 years old during filming, this role marks a significant departure from Cruise’s usual action-star roles like Mission: Impossible and Top Gun [1, 3, 4].
Digger is a satirical comedy-drama with political and environmental themes. Its plot centers on Digger’s attempts to stop an environmental disaster caused by melting polar ice caps that could cause massive damage, including flooding London and potential costs estimated at $18 trillion [1, 3, 4].
The supporting cast features John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sandra Hüller, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D’Arcy [1, 2, 3, 4].
Tom Cruise praised Iñárritu’s 2000 film Amores Perros, saying, "What a brilliant film. It was amazing... Every aspect of that film was very thought out, very detailed, and you could feel the powerful human voice of someone who was incredibly skilled at what they were doing." Regarding their collaboration on Digger, Cruise added, "I have never had something that could challenge me in this way and neither has Alejandro when we went in, ever. When you see this film, it’s totally original." [1, 4]
The first full trailer for Digger was released worldwide on July 13, 2026. The week before, Cruise appeared at a Warner Bros event in Los Angeles, unveiling the trailer and discussing the film with press and fans. Around August 1, Cruise joined TikTok to promote the movie and quickly amassed over 1.4 million followers [1, 2, 3, 4].
Digger is set to open in theaters on October 2, 2026 [2, 3, 4].
