Tom Cruise’s Digger has been digging itself a rather expensive hole, but Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, and other Hollywood stars are not reaching for the shovel. Since its October 2, 2026, release, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s black comedy has managed just $20 million worldwide against a reported $160 million to $180 million production budget. A 51% Rotten Tomatoes score and a C+ CinemaScore have only deepened the wound, leaving the ambitious film fighting for its box office life.

Still, Digger has not been entirely abandoned to the critics. With Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda, and other industry names singing its praises, Hollywood is giving Tom Cruise’s troubled film a second wind.

Starting off, Anne Hathaway has made her feelings particularly clear, awarding Digger a perfect 10/10 on Letterboxd. Describing the film as “smart and trippy and aggressive and funny and ambitious,” the actress encouraged audiences to experience Digger and form their own opinions. Jane Fonda, Mandy Patinkin, and Glen Powell have also joined the chorus of Hollywood names celebrating the film’s willingness to take creative risks.

In fact, Tom Cruise and Alejandro González Iñárritu do not appear ready to let disappointing ticket sales dictate the conversation around Digger. Rather than retreating amid the film’s commercial struggles, Hollywood’s creative community is making a case for its ambition. The growing support suggests that some industry heavyweights believe artistic risks deserve more than a box office verdict.

Guillermo del Toro has been equally vocal, firing back at entertainment outlets, encouraging audiences to wait for streaming. Meanwhile, Alfonso Cuarón defended his longtime collaborator by sharing old, dismissive reviews of Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Metropolis, suggesting that history might eventually treat Digger more kindly.

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With Digger proving that artistic ambition and a colossal budget are no guarantee of box office glory, only time will tell whether future films taking similar risks will meet the same fate.

Digger may have stumbled spectacularly, but Hollywood has plenty of expensive creative gambles waiting in the wings. David Fincher’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth reportedly carries a staggering $200 million budget, bringing Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay to life through a dark, character-driven portrait of 1977 Los Angeles. Parker Finn’s The Possession is another potential wild card, with its planned June 2027 release promising psychological horror that could make conventional studio scares look positively well-behaved.

Then there is Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, a grand science-fiction undertaking with some of Digger’s taste for artistic ambition and unconventional storytelling. Yet Villeneuve’s franchise finale already enjoys considerable audience goodwill, making it difficult to imagine the same disastrous reception awaiting Tom Cruise’s film. The real question is whether these upcoming auteur-led productions can turn their creative risks into theatrical success or discover that even Hollywood’s most expensive visions can leave audiences cold.

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Would you also defend Digger? Let us know in the comments!