Tom Cruise is trading Ethan Hunt's tactical gear for prosthetics, a paunch, and a thick Southern drawl in the first full trailer for "Digger," Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's dark comedy about an oil tycoon racing to save the world from a catastrophe of his own making. The trailer, released Monday by Warner Bros., offers the clearest look yet at one of the most dramatic physical transformations of Cruise's career.
What the Film Is About
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an aging, larger-than-life oil magnate whose company's actions accidentally trigger an environmental disaster with the potential to spiral into nuclear war. As the crisis escalates, Digger sets out on a self-appointed mission to convince the world that he alone can prevent total destruction. Warner Bros. describes the film as "a comedy of catastrophic proportions," and the official synopsis frames it as the story of "the most powerful man in the world" racing "to prove he is humanity's savior before the disaster he unleashed destroys everything." In the trailer, the film's stakes are laid out starkly: Digger's capricious decision-making leads to an $18 trillion catastrophic mistake, prompting the U.S. president, played by John Goodman, to declare, "Digger here got us into this mess, and Digger's going to dig us out again." The trailer is scored to a reorchestrated version of the Talking Heads classic "Burning Down the House."
A Nearly Unrecognizable Tom Cruise
At 64, Cruise appears almost entirely transformed for the role — gray-haired, heavier-set, and sporting a Southern accent, aided by extensive prosthetic makeup. Warner Bros.' marketing had deliberately obscured Cruise's face in earlier teasers and character posters, making Monday's full reveal a genuine surprise for fans. Social media reaction was immediate and enthusiastic, with fans calling it "Oscar awaiting" material and praising what one user described as "the glow down king." The role marks a rare dramatic swing for Cruise, who has spent recent years almost exclusively anchoring the "Mission: Impossible" and "Top Gun" franchises — one report noted it's his first major role outside those two series in years, drawing comparisons instead to earlier, more auteur-driven performances in films like "Magnolia" and "Eyes Wide Shut."
A Collaboration 26 Years in the Making
The pairing of Cruise and Iñárritu has a long history behind it. Cruise has said he first became determined to work with the director after seeing an early cut of Iñárritu's 2000 debut feature "Amores Perros" before its Cannes premiere. Iñárritu approached Cruise about "Digger" roughly seven years ago, reportedly choosing to read him the script in person over the course of several days rather than simply sending it over. Iñárritu has said the idea for the film first came to him after finishing "The Revenant" in 2015, meaning the project has been gestating for roughly a decade. Speaking at a trailer launch event on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Cruise reflected on finally teaming up with the filmmaker: "I have never had something that could challenge me in this way, and neither has Alejandro." "Digger" marks Iñárritu's first film since 2022's Netflix release "Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths."
A Stacked Ensemble Cast
Cruise is joined by a notably deep supporting cast, including Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, Emma D'Arcy, Robert John Burke, Burn Gorman, Michael Stuhlbarg, and John Goodman. The screenplay was written by Iñárritu alongside his "Birdman" collaborators Nicolás Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris, along with Sabina Berman, with Iñárritu and Berman credited for developing the original story. Behind the camera, Iñárritu reunited with longtime cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, along with editors Conor O'Neill and Stephen Mirrione. The film is produced by Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Cruise, and Michael Sharp, with Joshua Grode, Berman, Dinelaris, Giacobone, Jez Butterworth, and Lubezki serving as executive producers.
Release Details
"Digger" is set for an exclusive theatrical and IMAX release beginning October 2, 2026, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures in partnership with Legendary Pictures. The film had its first public preview at CinemaCon 2026 back in April, when Cruise and Iñárritu presented an early look to theater owners and distributors ahead of Monday's full trailer debut.