The Digger box office debut was one of the worst of Tom Cruise’s career: Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s satire opened to an estimated $8 million in North America over the Oct. 2–4, 2026, weekend, while Amazon MGM’s Colleen Hoover adaptation Verity took No. 1 with $32.6 million, according to studio estimates reported by the Associated Press.
Digger box office numbers by the dollar
Warner Bros.’ Digger played in about 3,321 theaters and added roughly $12 million from 74 international markets, the AP reported. The Hollywood Reporter said the studio had projected $12 million to $15 million heading into the weekend, and that early tracking weeks earlier had pointed closer to $30 million before interest faded.
Budget figures vary. THR cited a $125 million production budget and reports that it rose to near $180 million, a number a studio representative disputes; the AP said the film cost at least $125 million with reports closer to $150 million, plus an estimated $100 million in marketing. Variety reported that rivals expected the final tally to land nearer $7.5 million when Monday actuals arrive.
Reviews, CinemaScore and Cruise’s pitch
In Digger, Cruise plays a balding oil tycoon who learns he caused a natural disaster. Critics were split, with a 51% Rotten Tomatoes score, and audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore, according to THR and the AP. THR said it was Cruise’s softest opening since 2007’s Lions for Lambs ($6.7 million). Cruise wrote on social media Saturday that he remained “so proud of what we created.” He is next set for Days of Thunder 2.
Verity wins the weekend
Verity, directed by Michael Showalter and starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, opened in 3,510 theaters on a reported $40 million budget. THR said its audience was 78% female, and Variety put its worldwide start at about $62.5 million. The film drew its own C+ CinemaScore, but brand power carried it, extending a big year for Hathaway, whose viral Verity premiere moment we covered last week. Johnson, meanwhile, was fresh off hosting SNL, where a Taylor Swift cameo lit up her monologue.
Holdovers rounded out the top five: Sony’s Resident Evil ($12.5 million), Paramount’s Heart of the Beast ($11 million) and A24’s Primetime ($8 million). Avengers: Endgame edged back past Avatar as the top global grosser on the strength of its Encore re-release, the AP reported.
Why the flop matters for Warner Bros.
The timing is awkward: Paramount Skydance said it would close its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday, Oct. 6, after a federal judge approved the deal, making Digger the studio’s last release as a standalone company, per the AP. Film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy are expected to exit, with Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein taking over. For more holiday-season film buzz, see our look at the Johnny Depp Ebenezer trailer.
Sources: AP via ABC News; The Hollywood Reporter; Variety.