Warner Bros. released the first full trailer for Digger on July 13, 2026, giving audiences their first real look at Tom Cruise in one of his most unexpected roles yet. The actor, known for playing action heroes, transforms into Digger Rockwell, an aging oil tycoon whose company may have triggered a worldwide ecological catastrophe. Now, he has to fix the mess he created.
The trailer shows Cruise buried under heavy prosthetics, sporting thinning white hair, a pot belly, and a thick Southern accent. It is a sharp departure from the fit, fast-moving characters he usually plays. The two-and-a-half-minute clip is set to a reworked version of the Talking Heads song Burning Down the House, setting a darkly comic tone.
Tom Cruise Looks Unrecognizable as Oil Tycoon Digger Rockwell
Cruise, 64, appears nearly unrecognizable in the trailer. He wears layers of facial and body prosthetics to make himself look much larger and older. His usual dark brown hair is gone, replaced by gray, thinning hair and a combover.
The trailer opens with Cruise’s character shirtless, showing off his prosthetic belly. He walks around his lavish home, reflecting on life and death.
“Everything changes. One day you’re a cat, or a king. Next day, you’re just ashes in a box.”
Cruise has said the role took him 40 years to prepare for. During a trailer event on the Warner Bros. lot, he explained that the physical transformation was part of understanding the character.
“Whether it’s Les Grossman or Interview With the Vampire, Collateral or Risky Business, I’m always asking, ‘How do I communicate this?’ The physicality, the makeup, that is stuff that you find as you are learning how to communicate.”
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, who won Oscars for Birdman and The Revenant, praised Cruise’s commitment.
“We know he’s fearless. The stunts, the plane, the jumps. But I have to say, embodying this character is another kind of fearless. I think this role may be his most challenging.”
Digger Rockwell Causes a Global Disaster and Tries to Fix It
The film follows Digger Rockwell, a billionaire oil baron who runs an energy company. His decisions set off a massive ecological disaster, involving a rapidly melting glacier that could spread nuclear radiation.
The disaster is estimated to cause losses upwards of $18 trillion. The U.S. President, played by John Goodman, orders Rockwell to fix the mess.
“Digger got us into this mess and Digger is going to get us out.”
Rockwell goes on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster destroys everything. But along the way, he seems more worried about his sick pet cat than the crisis itself. The trailer shows him getting a professional opinion on his cat’s lifespan, which could be anywhere from two weeks to five minutes.
The film is described as a “comedy of catastrophic proportions”. Early comparisons have been made to Dr. Strangelove and Citizen Kane.
Star-Studded Cast Joins Tom Cruise in Digger
Beyond Cruise, the film features an impressive ensemble cast. The lineup includes:
- Riz Ahmed (Academy Award winner)
- John Goodman (plays the U.S. President)
- Sandra Hüller
- Michael Stuhlbarg
- Jesse Plemons
- Sophie Wilde
- Emma D’Arcy
- Robert John Burke
- Burn Gorman
Iñárritu directs from a script he co-wrote with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman. The director first had the idea for Digger after finishing The Revenant in 2015. He spent years developing it before approaching Cruise about seven years ago.
Instead of sending Cruise a script, Iñárritu spent several days reading it to him in person.
“Alejandro took several days during which he was just reading the script to me and I’m listening to everything that’s in his mind, so that I can understand that, and then I know how to contribute to it, and bring that collaboration together.”
Cruise has been a fan of Iñárritu since seeing his debut film Amores Perros in 2000.
“What a brilliant film. It was amazing. I was one of the first audiences, and I heard about it early on, so when I saw that film, I don’t know how you all felt, but I was like, ‘What the f**k? This guy!’”
Digger Release Date and Theatrical Plans
Digger is scheduled to release in North American theaters on October 2, 2026. The film will open in international territories beginning September 30, 2026. In Australia, the release date is set for October 1, 2026. The film will also be available in IMAX.
Warner Bros. is distributing the film, which was shot entirely on VistaVision, a large-format film process. The cinematography comes from Emmanuel Lubezki, who won Oscars for his work on Birdman and The Revenant.
The production had a budget of $125 million and was filmed over six months at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom. Industrial Light & Magic handled the visual effects.
This marks Cruise’s first film with Warner Bros. since he signed a deal with the studio in 2024. His last project with the studio was Edge of Tomorrow in 2014.
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Fans React to Tom Cruise’s Dramatic Transformation
Social media lit up after the trailer dropped, with fans expressing shock at Cruise’s new look. Many praised his willingness to take on such a different role.
“Finally, a movie where Tom Cruise’s most dangerous stunt is raw unfiltered acting.”
“There’s something inspiring about seeing someone who has nothing left to prove still hungry enough to reinvent himself.”
“Tom Cruise looks completely unrecognizable in DIGGER the mannerisms, the voice, the presence, everything feels so different. I’M ALL IN FOR THIS.”
“You cannot convince me that is Tom Cruise.”
Several fans predicted the role could earn Cruise his first Academy Award win.
“Tom Cruise is coming for that Oscar!”
“The Tom Cruise Oscar campaign is going to be LEGENDARY.”
The actor also joined TikTok ahead of the film’s release, promoting Digger in his first three videos. He has already gained more than one million followers on the platform.
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