Tom Cruise's Digger pulled from about 2,500–2,800 theaters after weak box office
Warner Bros.' Digger, a Tom Cruise political satire directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, is losing thousands of screens in its third week after a weak opening. The two outlets differ on the exact number of theaters lost and on the film's budget.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Digger, the Tom Cruise film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, is being removed from thousands of US theaters only two weeks into its run. Screen RantN “Tom Cruise's newest film, Digger, is about to suffer another major defeat only two weeks into its theatrical run.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ ColliderN “Digger, starring Tom Cruise and directed by two-time Oscar winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Screen Rant, citing a report by Luiz Fernando on X, said the film would lose 2,535 theaters this weekend, the 10th biggest single-weekend theater loss ever; it had been playing in 3,321 theaters, according to Box Office Mojo. Screen RantN “Digger will be removed from 2,535 theaters, making it the 10th biggest theater count loss ever for a single weekend.”“Up until now, it had been playing in 3,321 theaters, according to Box Office Mojo.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Collider, publishing later, said Warner Bros. removed it from 2,758 theaters, the third-largest screen drop in history behind The Rhythm Section and Cry Macho, leaving it in around 560 theaters. It said the film had already lost key IMAX screens the week before. ColliderN “This Friday, Digger was removed from 2,758 theaters by Warner Bros. It had already lost key IMAX screens last week.”“the movie is still playing in around 560 theaters nationwide.” Read at Collider ↗
Centre · 1Screen Rant said Digger opened in fifth place, fell to eighth place in its second weekend with a 60% drop in ticket sales, and has grossed $38 million so far. Screen RantN “the film settled for fifth place on opening weekend and has only grossed $38 million so far.”“It already dropped to eighth place in its second weekend in theaters, with a 60% decrease in ticket sales” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1Collider said the film has grossed around $40 million worldwide, is poised to finish its domestic run under $20 million, and could lose an estimated $250 million. It gave the budget as a reported $180 million in its text, while its headline says $125M. ColliderN “The movie is poised to conclude its domestic run with under $20 million, and has only grossed around $40 million so far at the worldwide box office. It cost a reported $180 million to produce.”“Digger is poised to lose an estimated $250 million” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Reviews are mixed: both outlets put the film at 53% on Rotten Tomatoes. Screen RantN “critics giving it a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes” Read at Screen Rant ↗ ColliderN “The movie currently stands at a 53% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes” Read at Collider ↗
Centre · 2The film is a satire in which Cruise plays an oil tycoon who causes a global catastrophe by extracting oil in Greenland in partnership with the US president. The cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons and Emma D'Arcy. Screen RantN “an oil tycoon who causes a global catastrophe after he extracts oil in Greenland in partnership with the United States president” Read at Screen Rant ↗ ColliderN “Also starring John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Emma D'Arcy” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Awards prospects are unclear. Screen Rant said Oscar talk has died down, though a Makeup and Hairstyling nomination is possible, with nominations due January 21, 2027. Collider said Cruise is still a contender for Best Actor, though his chances are in doubt, and said the film has support from A-listers such as Ben Affleck and Anne Hathaway and may become a cult hit. Screen RantN “that talk has now died down amid its underwhelming reception and box office returns.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ ColliderN “It has, however, found vocal support from a host of A-listers such as Ben Affleck and Anne Hathaway, and is well on its way to becoming a cult hit.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Screen Rant noted the film faces new competition from Street Fighter, Whalefall and Sense and Sensibility this weekend. Screen RantN “Digger will have to contend with multiple new theatrical releases, including Street Fighter, Whalefall and Sense and Sensibility” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both entertainment outlets frame Digger as a box-office failure, leading with the scale of the theater losses. Screen Rant treats the loss as a coming 'defeat' ahead of the weekend; Collider reports it as done and as one of the largest bombs ever, with a hopeful note about cult status.
- Emphasis
- Theater-count rankings, opening and second-weekend performance, Rotten Tomatoes score, Oscar prospects, and losses.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives a reason from Warner Bros. or theater owners for the removal. They disagree on the theater count, the ranking and the budget, without noting the discrepancy.
- Charged language
- “Bombing”“box-office disaster”“put out of its misery”“biggest box-office bombs of all time”
- For example
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“Tom Cruise’s newest film has already suffered a major defeat at the box office, and another tidal wave of bad news is coming this weekend.” — Screen Rant
“the big-budget political satire film Digger has been put out of its misery by Warner Bros.” — Collider
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Digger is a Tom Cruise film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and is losing thousands of theaters after two weeks.
- It has a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score.
- Its box office is weak, at roughly $38–40 million grossed so far.
- The cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons and Emma D'Arcy.
Where accounts differ
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How many theaters Digger lost
- Centre
- Screen Rant (Thu, citing Luiz Fernando on X) said 2,535, the 10th biggest loss ever; Collider (Fri) said 2,758, the third largest.
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Digger's budget
- Centre
- Collider's headline says $125M, but its text says a reported $180 million. Screen Rant gives no budget.
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Ranking of previous biggest theater losses
- Centre
- Screen Rant lists The Rhythm Section at 3,049 theaters; Collider gives 2,955.
Tom Cruise person
Cruise is the film's star. Neither outlet quotes him. Collider says he remains a Best Actor contender, while Screen Rant says awards talk about his performance has died down.
“He is still a contender for a Best Actor nomination” — Collider
“there used to be awards show speculation surrounding Digger, especially for Cruise's performance” — Screen Rant
Digger (film) other
Both outlets describe the film as a divisive political satire that has underperformed commercially. Collider says it may find a cult following.
“Future cult success is the most that the movie can hope for, given its current box-office haul.” — Collider
“reviews for Digger have been very mixed” — Screen Rant
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Tom Cruise's New Movie Is Being Removed From Thousands Of Theaters After Bombing
Critical Presents the theater cut as the latest blow to a underperforming film, with detailed theater-loss rankings and a note that Oscar talk has faded.
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Tom Cruise’s $125M Movie Officially Removed From Nearly 2,800 Theaters
Mixed Calls the film a historic bomb with huge projected losses, but adds celebrity support and possible cult status.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 15 Oct 22:47 First Screen RantN Tom Cruise's New Movie Is Being Removed From Thousands Of Theaters After Bombing
- 16 Oct 18:54 +20h 7m ColliderN Tom Cruise’s $125M Movie Officially Removed From Nearly 2,800 Theaters
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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