John Goodman says harsh early reviews doomed Digger, the Tom Cruise satire that has become one of the year’s costliest box-office disappointments. “It kind of killed us before we even opened,” Goodman said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. The 74-year-old actor, who plays fictional U.S. President Compson, said the criticism “hurt” and that headlines predicting a tiny box office gave moviegoers reason to skip the film. He said he remains proud of the project, enjoyed the six months he spent making it and considers it a huge swing.
Warner Bros. released Digger on October 2. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s eco-satire stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon who triggers an environmental catastrophe and then casts himself as humanity’s savior. Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons and Michael Stuhlbarg also appear.
The numbers were bleak. The film opened to $8 million from 3,321 North American theaters, fifth place for the weekend, and $20 million worldwide. That marked Cruise’s weakest domestic debut since 2007’s Lions for Lambs, which opened to $6.7 million on a $35 million budget. Digger reportedly cost at least $125 million, and some outlets put the figure higher. Its worldwide total has reached roughly $50 million, and analysts have projected losses near $150 million.
Critics split rather than united. The film landed around 52% on Rotten Tomatoes after its first reviews, Cruise’s lowest score there in about a decade. Some reviewers praised the craft and the performances, including Goodman’s, while arguing the pieces never cohere. Cruise has defended the film, saying he is proud of what the team made.
Goodman’s argument has limits. Tracking before release had already suggested a soft start, with early forecasts ranging from $12 million to $15 million, and the film still fell short of that range. Mixed notices and an unconventional premise gave audiences little urgency, whatever the headlines said. The setback sits awkwardly with Goodman’s busy year, and he is not alone in blaming the response for the film’s fate. Warner Bros. has not publicly addressed his remarks.
