Warner Bros.’ big-budget satire ‘Digger’ opened to an estimated $8 million domestically in its first weekend, marking one of the year’s most significant box office disappointments. The Tom Cruise-led film was defeated by Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Verity,’ which claimed the No. 1 spot with a $32 million debut from 3,510 locations.
The contrasting results capped a weekend that saw one new release exceed expectations while the other became a costly miss for its studio. ‘Digger’ earned just $3.4 million on its opening day, including $1.2 million in Thursday previews, before finishing the three-day frame far below its reported production costs .
What Happened
‘Digger’ was directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a fictional oil tycoon whose company triggers a global environmental crisis. The film, an R-rated dark comedy, carried a production budget that reportedly ballooned from an original $125 million to between $160 million and $180 million, according to Variety .
Warner Bros. disputed that figure, telling Variety the film’s break-even point was closer to $300 million rather than the $350 million estimate cited by the trade publication .
Even by the studio’s lower threshold, the $8 million domestic opening leaves ‘Digger’ facing a steep climb to profitability. The film received a wave of negative reviews and divided audience reactions, which contributed to its weak turnout at 3,321 North American theaters .
For Cruise, the result represents his lowest wide opening as a leading man in nearly two decades. The last comparable debut was 2007’s ‘Lions for Lambs,’ which opened to $6.7 million, according to JoBlo.com .
‘Verity’ Delivers a Strong Debut
The weekend’s clear winner was ‘Verity,’ the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling psychological thriller. The film earned $15.1 million on Friday and finished the three-day frame with an estimated $32 million, enough to secure the top spot .
Produced on a reported $40 million net budget, ‘Verity’ stars Anne Hathaway as the title character, a bedridden author, Dakota Johnson as a struggling writer hired to complete her book series, and Josh Hartnett as Verity’s husband. Michael Showalter directed from a screenplay by Nick Antosca .
The film’s opening ranks as the second-best debut for an adaptation of a Hoover novel, behind 2024’s ‘It Ends With Us.’ Globally, ‘Verity’ grossed $62.5 million, with strong performances in international markets .
Audience response was mixed. The film received a C+ CinemaScore and holds a 34% critics score and 70% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviewers praised its glossy, pulpy thrills, while others criticized the adaptation for losing the tension of its source material .
What the Filmmakers Said
Iñárritu spoke about the themes of ‘Digger’ ahead of its release, describing the film as a reflection on power and perception. He told IndieWire that the movie’s original title was ‘Blah, Blah, Blah,’ a reference to the power of language.
‘It was a reference to this incredible, terrible, terrifying weapon that we as humans have, which is the tongue,’ Iñárritu said. ‘It can change your perception of the reality that your body is experiencing. It can make you believe in something that you don’t see’ .
The director added that the satirical tone of the film felt increasingly grounded in reality.
‘We are living in a satire,’ he said. ‘The more we stretched our imagination, reality was chasing and catching us. It was crazy’ .
Showalter, speaking about ‘Verity,’ emphasized his commitment to honoring Hoover’s novel, which became a bestseller after its 2018 release.
‘The book is a big hit, people love it, so let’s make a movie out of the book,’ Showalter said. ‘My approach was to do it the way it was in the book wherever possible’ .
Release Details
Both films opened in U.S. theaters on October 2, 2026. ‘Digger’ was released in standard and IMAX formats and was shot using the VistaVision large-format process .
‘Verity’ was distributed by Amazon MGM Studios, with the studio projecting a modest theatrical profit given the film’s lower budget . The film is expected to find additional viewership on Prime Video following its theatrical run.
For ‘Digger,’ the theatrical window now presents a significant financial challenge. The film will need strong international returns and eventual home entertainment revenue to offset its reported costs, though its domestic opening has already limited its upside.
What Happens Next
‘Digger’ will face continued competition in the coming weeks from holdover titles and new releases, making a domestic comeback unlikely based on historical box office patterns for films with similar openings and reception. Warner Bros. has not issued a public statement on the film’s financial performance as of October 5, 2026.
‘Verity’ will aim to hold steady in its second weekend, though its C+ CinemaScore suggests word-of-mouth may limit its longevity. The film’s global opening of $62.5 million gives it a solid foundation as it expands in international markets .
The stark difference between the two openings underscores the unpredictable nature of the fall box office, where established stars and acclaimed directors do not guarantee commercial success. Final domestic numbers for both films are expected to be confirmed by studio representatives on Monday, October 5, 2026.
