Introducing … “Digger.” That’s the title of Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Tom Cruise-Starring movie, which originally had the working title “Judy.”
Described as a “comedy of catastrophic proportions,” I reported last night that the film would have its first teaser attached to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” screenings — and it’s now online, seen below. Cruise plays a character by the name of Digger Rockwell. Not much is revealed — we just have Cruise pulling out the moves while holding a shovel.
So, what exactly has Iñárritu conjured here? The poster and teaser certainly hint at something outlandish. We know very little about it—just that Tom Cruise leads an ensemble of talented actors, including Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D’Arcy.
Iñárritu has described “Digger” as “a new kind of film,” and stated that Cruise “will surprise the world” with his performance, which has inevitably led to speculation that this could be the actor’s best chance at winning his first competitive Oscar.
We’ve received a few breadcrumbs about the plot, but they haven’t made things much clearer. The story reportedly follows a powerful global figure (Cruise?) who races to convince the world he’s its savior—before the catastrophic consequences of his own actions unleash widespread destruction.
The film was shot on 35mm VistaVision by three-time Oscar winner Emmanuel Lubezki. Iñárritu co-wrote the screenplay in 2023 with longtime collaborators Nicolás Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris—both of “Birdman”—alongside writer Sabina Berman.
“Digger” marks Iñárritu’s return to directing following “Bardo,” which premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival to mixed reviews. His acclaimed filmography includes “Birdman,” “The Revenant,” “Amores Perros,” “21 Grams,” and “Babel.”
The film hits theaters October 2, 2026 via Warner Bros Pictures. It’ll either premiere at Cannes or Venice.
