Variety reports that the Digger box office loss is now tracking at $245 million for Warner Bros., which would make the Tom Cruise satire one of the biggest flops of the year and potentially of all time. The figure comes from knowledgeable sources the outlet cites. The R-rated environmental satire was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.

The film is an offbeat dark comedy in which Cruise plays a wealthy oil tycoon whose company causes a potential catastrophe. Variety calls it a rare big-budget, star-driven original, and says that kind of tentpole was always a risky bet in today’s unforgiving box office landscape.

Digger opened last weekend with $8 million domestically and $20 million globally. According to Variety, ticket sales then fell 60% at home in the second weekend, bringing totals to $14.4 million domestically and $35.3 million worldwide. Before that drop, Warner Bros. had been expected to lose between $150 million and $200 million on the theatrical run.

Stars including Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, Guillermo del Toro and Mandy Patinkin have defended the film and urged audiences to head to theaters. Variety still expects Digger to finish with roughly $50 million globally, and reports that the studio is now bracing for a larger write-down than it projected after opening weekend.

The reviews were harsh enough that Warner Bros. ran social media spots encouraging moviegoers to decide for themselves. The campaign ran alongside the star-driven push from actors and filmmakers who have been asking fans to see the movie on the big screen.

Why is Digger losing so much money?

Warner Bros. greenlit the film for $125 million, but production ran over schedule and the budget soared to between $160 million and $180 million. The studio then spent another $100 million on global marketing. Those figures do not include award spending, and Variety reports that an Oscar campaign for a movie with a major star and an acclaimed director would typically cost around $15 million, though that could be scaled back after the frosty reception.

Break-even is also disputed. Variety says theater owners keep about half of ticket sales, so the film needs roughly $350 million globally to break even. A Warner Bros. spokesperson pushed back and said the break-even point is $300 million.

Cruise’s deal adds another wrinkle. He earns a percentage of revenues before the studio recoups any costs, so profitability will take even longer, according to Variety. Box office receipts still matter well beyond the cinema, because they help set the terms of later TV, pay-one and streaming deals.

Is this part of a bigger slump for Warner Bros.?

Variety says yes. Digger is the studio’s last standalone release before its merger with Paramount, and it extends a rough year. The outlet counts commercial disasters such as The Bride and Supergirl among the losses that have piled up on the theatrical side.

Co-chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy left the company last Friday, the same week Digger landed in theaters. The pair had presided over a historic 2025 with hits including Sinners, A Minecraft Movie and Weapons. But after pushing several big swings into this calendar year, not a single film has crossed $100 million domestically.

Variety reports that Warner Bros.’ theatrical fortunes should rebound in December, when Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part III, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, reaches the big screen.

Quick answers

How much has Digger earned at the box office?
According to Variety, Digger had reached $14.4 million domestically and $35.3 million globally after its second weekend. The outlet expects the run to end with roughly $50 million worldwide.

What is Digger’s break-even point?
Variety says the film needs roughly $350 million globally to break even, because theater owners keep about half of ticket sales. A Warner Bros. spokesperson said the break-even point is $300 million.

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Source: Variety