Warner Bros. has revealed the first trailer for Digger starring Tom Cruise. Cruise’s physical transformation will generate most of the headlines, but the footage reveals that the actor is taking his biggest risk since Magnolia.
Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, “the most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.” Besides Cruise, the cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman, Sophie Wilde, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman. Digger opens in theaters on October 2, 2026.
Digger marks a strategic change in Cruise’s career. It’s arguably his biggest risk this century, but a necessary one.
The biggest gamble in Digger isn’t the makeup, it’s Tom Cruise’s performance
It’s been a long time since Cruise stepped outside of his comfort zone, action movies. Digger is the first time since 2017’s American Made that Cruise won’t play Ethan Hunt or Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Moreover, it’s his first non-action movie since 2012’s Rock of Ages.
Cruise’s talent has never been questioned. The 64-year-old is one of the finest actors of his generation. He has four Oscar nominations and probably should have won an acting Oscar by now. The only problem is that Cruise has not taken too many acting risks in decades.
Tropic Thunder is an example of a risky role Cruise has undertaken. However, he only played a supporting role in that comedy. While the movie benefits from Cruise’s performance, it does not make or break the film.
However, Digger is a movie that hinges on Cruise’s performance, which is at the center of the film. It’s a satirical comedy, a genre Cruise rarely steps into. Digger Rockwell reminds me of Frank T.J. Mackey, the womanizing date guru Cruise played in Magnolia in 1999. Cruise’s range in Magnolia paid off when he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Cruise is certainly eyeing an Oscar nomination for Digger, and many pundits have him as a nominee in early predictions. If the performance is well-received, Digger might be the movie that finally gets Cruise his acting Oscar.
