Not even a Tom Cruise-filled, all-stops-pulled press tour — including a GQ cover, a “New Heights” podcast appearance and a “Risky Business”-inspired jaunt down the “Jennifer Hudson Show” spirit tunnel — could keep “Digger” from flatlining at the box office.
\n\nWarner Bros.’ R-rated black comedy generated $3.4 million from 3,321 North American theaters on Friday following a slew of negative reviews and divided word of mouth. The film is shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest flops, with estimates of just $7.5 million domestically in its opening weekend. The film was greenlit at $125 million but ended up ballooning to $160 and $180 million after production ran long, according to knowledgeable sources. That’s a problem because the studio splits ticket sales with theater owners, meaning “Digger” is primed to lose many millions in its theatrical run.
\n\nDirected by Academy Award winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Digger” stars Cruise as a powerful oil tycoon whose company sparks an ecological calamity. Despite Cruise’s enduring star power, having anchored recent blockbusters like the “Mission: Impossible” franchise and 2022’s sensation “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Digger” will wind up as the latest misfire for Warner Bros. This year, the studio has siphoned off a string…
Original source: https://variety.com/v/tv/