Tom Cruise's new film “Digger“ is facing a significantly weaker than expected start at the box office, with current forecasts indicating revenues between 8 and 12 million dollars during the opening weekend in North America.
The production of director Alejandro González Iñárritu, in which Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is almost unrecognizable due to heavy makeup and prosthetics, cost at least 135 million dollars, Page Six reports. The initial estimates for the debut were around $30 million, then dropped to $20 million, and just before the premiere, expectations dropped even more.
Added to the weak preliminary data are the contradictory to negative reactions of some American film critics.
After the review embargo was lifted, several major publications published particularly harsh assessments. Film critic David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter defined the apocalyptic satire as too self-reflexive and exhausting, while The Boston Globe called it “the worst film of Tom Cruise“.
Against this backdrop, Warner Bros. changed part of its advertising strategy. The studio released a promotional video urging viewers to “Decide for Yourself“, turning the polarized reactions into part of the film's marketing.
“Digger“ currently has about 53% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, according to data cited by Page Six. The initial ambitions for a strong presence in the upcoming film awards season also seem less certain, with the publication saying that some analysts no longer include the production among their leading predictions for “Oscar“.
Tom Cruise takes on an unusual role
In “Digger“ Actor Tom Cruise plays an oil billionaire in an apocalyptic satire that is a far cry from the action-packed productions for which the star of “Mission: Impossible“ and “Top Gun“ is best known.
The film is directed by Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, winner of multiple “Oscar“ awards and creator of “Birdman“, “The Revenant“ and “Babel“.
According to Page Six, it is the unconventional nature of the production that is also creating difficulties for the advertising campaign. The plot contains a key twist in its final part, and the identities of two important characters are being kept secret, limiting the information the studio can use in trailers and commercials.
Boxoffice Pro analyst Daniel Loria predicts an opening weekend of $8 million to $12 million, which could put “Digger“ between second and fifth place at the North American box office. According to Loria, however, the weak expected start should not automatically be seen as a failure for Tom Cruise as a leading actor.
“It's unfair to compare a film of this type to his big action productions,“ the analyst commented. In his words, “Digger“ is closer in concept to Iñárritu's experimental cinema and should be appreciated more as a specialized art title than as a traditional Hollywood blockbuster.
The problem is the scale of the investment. For comparison, the Oscar-winning “Birdman“ was shot on a budget of about $18 million, while the costs of “Digger“ according to the publication exceed $135 million.
The competition during the premiere weekend is also serious. The psychological thriller “Verity“, an adaptation of the novel by writer Colleen Hoover, is expected to debut with over $30 million, according to preliminary forecasts quoted by Boxoffice Pro.
Thus “Digger“ is becoming one of the riskiest projects in Tom Cruise's career in recent years. Whether the negative reviews will turn away the audience or the unusual partnership between one of Hollywood's biggest stars and a director like Alejandro González Iñárritu will arouse enough curiosity, will become clear after the first real box office results.