Tom Cruise is 'so proud' of Digger despite its $8M soft opening
Digger may have posted the softest opening for a Tom Cruise film since 2007's Lions for Lambs, but the star is not sweating it. In a post on Instagram, Cruise told the cast and crew of the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed satire exactly how he feels about the work.
"I am so honored to have had the opportunity to create this film alongside such talented artists," Cruise wrote. "Thank you to the entire cast and crew for your dedication, hard work, and joy. The experience was truly unforgettable and I'm so proud of what we created."
The dark comedy, in which Cruise plays wealthy oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, pulled in just $8 million at the box office in its opening weekend. Deadline's Anthony D'Alessandro reported that number early Saturday, marking the star's lowest debut in 19 years.
Who actually showed up for Digger
Iñárritu has said he made the film specifically for Gen Z, and the young crowd did turn out: 60 percent of ticket buyers were between 18 and 34, and more than 70 percent of the audience was male. The film earned a C+ CinemaScore from opening-day moviegoers.
Deadline's Pete Hammond called Digger "unlike any film coming from a major Hollywood studio in years" in his review, adding that Iñárritu "takes things much further" and that the picture could end up among the more divisive major releases in a long time.
The movie is currently playing strongest on the coasts, with AMC Lincoln Square in New York posting the best per-screen sum for the film.