Summary
- Digger opened with just $8 million in North America and $20 million worldwide.
- Its production budget is reported at $160–180 million, with roughly another $100 million spent on marketing.
- The theatrical break-even point is estimated at roughly $350 million worldwide.
- The weak debut raises serious doubts about the film’s final commercial performance.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger had a disastrous box-office opening, grossing only $20 million worldwide during its first weekend despite its huge production cost and Tom Cruise’s star power.
The film earned $8 million from 3,321 North American theaters and roughly $12 million internationally, below domestic projections of $12–15 million.
A huge gap compared with its cost
The production budget is reported at $160–180 million, with roughly another $100 million spent on marketing. The theatrical break-even point is estimated at roughly $350 million worldwide.
Warner Bros. expected more
Warner Bros. reportedly expected an $18–20 million North American opening. Instead, Digger stopped at $8 million, while Amazon MGM’s Verity opened with $32.6 million.
A major setback for Tom Cruise
The result is unusual for Cruise after the success of Mission: Impossible and Top Gun: Maverick. Reception did not help, with weak word of mouth and a C+ CinemaScore from U.S. audiences.
Can it recover?
A poor opening weekend does not determine a film’s final gross by itself. In Digger’s case, however, the gap between its $20 million opening and an estimated $350 million theatrical break-even point makes the situation particularly difficult.
What we think
For an expensive original auteur-driven film, Digger’s opening is particularly concerning and shows how difficult it remains to turn even a major star into ticket sales without a powerful franchise. Its second weekend will show whether it can limit the decline.
Frequently asked questions
How much did it make on opening weekend?
About $20 million worldwide: $8 million in North America and roughly $12 million internationally.
How much did it cost?
The production budget is reported at $160–180 million, with roughly another $100 million spent on marketing.
What is the estimated break-even point?
The estimated worldwide theatrical break-even point is roughly $350 million.
