Tom Cruise is one of Hollywood’s most reliable movie stars, but his latest release has delivered a major box office disappointment.
“Digger,” directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, opened with only about $8 million in North American cinemas, according to Variety.
That is a serious problem for a film whose production budget is estimated at between $160 million and $180 million.
The movie reportedly cost significantly more when marketing expenses are included.
Industry analysts had expected a much stronger launch for a project combining Cruise with the Oscar winning director behind “Birdman” and “The Revenant.”
Instead, “Digger” finished behind several competing films.
“Verity,” starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson, opened at No. 1 with roughly $32.6 million domestically and more than $60 million worldwide.
The contrast is significant because “Verity” reportedly cost about $40 million to produce.
One weekend does not determine a film’s entire financial future, particularly with international sales and streaming revenue still ahead.
But for “Digger,” the path toward profitability has suddenly become extremely difficult.
