Tom Cruise's latest film Digger is projected to incur a loss of approximately $245 million (£185 million), according to Hollywood analysts, due to its ongoing poor performance in cinemas. Ticket sales for the satirical black comedy, featuring Cruise as oil magnate Digger Rockwell, plummeted by around 60% in its second weekend, bringing the film's total box office earnings to about $35 million (£26 million) globally so far.
Production Costs and Break-Even Point
The film, produced by Warner Bros, is estimated to have cost around $280 million (£211 million) to make and market. Cruise commented last week that he "never thought of movies when I'm making them [in terms of] opening weekend," emphasizing his focus on creating films that "hopefully will translate, last and evolve."
The current earnings relative to its budget suggest that Digger could become one of the largest film flops in Hollywood history. This performance starkly contrasts with the success of Cruise's recent IP-driven hits, including new installments of the Top Gun and Mission: Impossible franchises.
Digger is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, known for acclaimed films such as Birdman, Babel, and The Revenant. According to the Hollywood trade publication Variety, Digger is expected to conclude its box office run with around $50 million (£38 million) worldwide. To break even, the film would need to earn approximately $350 million (£264 million), accounting for its budget, marketing costs, the share of ticket sales allocated to theaters, and potential expenditures for an awards season campaign. However, a Warner Bros spokesman contested this figure, stating that the break-even point was actually $300 million (£227 million).
