In his latest appearance at Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon panel, Tom Cruise gave viewers their first glimpse at Digger, the most unlikely role of his long-standing acting career. Digger will come out on October 2, 2026, representing a departure from the actor’s signature action-oriented characters.
Cruise talks about his character in Digger
Tom stated that it had taken him “40 years” to get to a point where he could fully embrace the role of Digger Rockwell. According to the actor, the character would not only be unlike anything he had played before but would require much less physicality and a whole lot of emotional effort.
The promotional clip showed a completely transformed Cruise with grayish-blonde hair, a few extra pounds, and a Southern accent, looking nothing like he did in his previous films. In Digger, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a quirky billionaire oil tycoon whose business causes a worldwide environmental disaster, which, if left unresolved, could lead to nuclear war.
The film was directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who spent a decade creating the project. As director, Iñárritu pointed out, even though Cruise’s characters usually entail taking enormous risks physically, this particular role required something else.
As per Warner Bros., Digger is a “comedy of catastrophic proportions,” with co-star Jesse Plemons comparing it to “a new political satire.” With a talented cast on board, Digger seems to be shaping up into a rather intriguing picture.
The film also boasts an outstanding cast, including Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma D’Arcy, and Sophie Wilde, making the movie one of Warner Bros.’s most interesting releases.
