Digger has been taking a beating from critics before even touching the theaters. The Tom Cruise film was widely anticipated as a potential Oscar play for the superstar, but its reception, so far, has been less favorable. Nonetheless, the film is still not without its defenders. Guillermo del Toro, for instance, has been repeatedly backing the movie despite having no direct involvement in it. The director was back at it recently, defending the film against yet another negative review.

For del Toro, Digger delivers the kind of bold, ambitious theatrical experience that deserves to be seen on the big screen.

Guillermo del Toro recently responded to IGN's review for Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Digger. 

"The theater experience won't change your mind on Digger, and the laughs that are there still will be when it hits HBO Max," IGN wrote on X. 

Del Toro took issue with the headline, calling it “petty” and pushed back against the negative review.

"Entirely Petty headline," the filmmaker wrote. "Love it or not. And, yes, I do. The film delivers in scale, ambition and reach at a theatrical screen level. Daring, bold and Cinematically complex. Decidedly a Theatrical experience," added del Toro. 

Del Toro believes the film’s ambitious scale, meticulous design, and layered cinematic craft are best appreciated in a theater, as he suggested in his post. This was not the first time the filmmaker has supported Digger. Earlier, he took to social media to push back against bizarre viral claims that the film was secretly a musical masquerading as a gritty satire.

Tom Cruise’s Best Actor Oscar Chances Face a ‘Digger’ Problem After Divisive First Reactions

Despite Del Toro’s support, industry analysts still expect the film to rank among 2026’s biggest box-office bombs.

Digger opened in select international territories on October 1, 2026, with its wider US and UK release awaiting on October 2. Its financial outlook, however, does not look good. The film carries a reported production budget of $125 million to $135 million, while marketing costs are estimated at another $100 million. That puts the film’s total investment at roughly $225 million to $235 million.

To break even at the box office, Digger would need to gross at least $300 million. But for a movie opening to $12 million to reach that figure, it would need an extraordinary 10x multiplier from its opening weekend. The film also faces competition from Verity, which is pacing for a $30 million-plus debut. At this point, it does not look like Guillermo del Toro’s support or Tom Cruise’s star power can do much to change the film’s box-office trajectory.

Alejandro G. Iñárritu Reveals Why ‘BLAH, BLAH, BLAH’ Almost Became ’Digger’s Title

What do you think about Guillermo del Toro's tweet? Let us know in the comments!