Tom Cruise's 'Digger' Is Already Officially Being Pulled From Theaters

For a movie about a global catastrophe, it's almost fitting that the movie's release is a disaster. Tom Cruise has spent decades as one of the safest bets in Hollywood, but his newest film and his biggest swing in decades just hasn't connected with audiences whatsoever. Just a few days after Digger opened to some of the worst numbers of Cruise's illustrious career, it's already losing valuable screens and it's to a movie that's been out for three months already.

Digger's IMAX run is already being cut back following a disastrous $20 million global opening weekend. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is returning to IMAX theaters beginning Friday, October 9, including select IMAX 70mm locations, less than a week after Digger opened across North America.

Now it's important to note that it's not like Digger is being yanked from cinemas entirely. Some IMAX locations are continuing to show it alongside The Odyssey, while ordinary theatrical screenings also remain available. The BFI IMAX in London, for example, has both movies scheduled over the coming days. But IMAX brings in extra revenue due to the increased ticket prices, so losing those screens is another big blow for the film.

And this is quite literally a global cinematic catastrophe too, because Digger was also scheduled to open in Hong Kong and Macau before its release was pulled at the last minute. Hong Kong's film censorship authority hasn't bothered to explain the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal when contacted by Hong Kong Free Press, but reports have pointed to dialogue involving China as a possible issue, although the authority itself has not confirmed why the movie disappeared from schedules.

How Badly Has 'Digger' Flopped?

Digger opened to just $8 million in the United States and Canada, finishing fifth at the domestic box office. Another $12 million internationally brought its opening weekend to roughly $20 million worldwide. Warner Bros. spent somewhere between $125 million and $150 million making the movie before marketing, putting it on course to lose a substantial amount of money unless its fortunes change dramatically.

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant), the black comedy stars Cruise alongside Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), John Goodman (The Big Lebowski), Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire), and Jesse Plemons (Civil War).

Digger is playing in theaters now, while The Odyssey returns to select IMAX and IMAX 70mm theaters beginning October 9.