“Digger”: Tom Cruise and Iñárritu Unveil a Wild New Comedy for 2026

Tom Cruise, acclaimed auteur Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and a star-studded ensemble gear up for one of the most intriguing films of the next cinematic season.

Tom Cruise is set to reinvent expectations once again — not with a high-octane action thriller, but with a darkly funny tale titled Digger, directed by Academy Award-winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu. This marks a notable departure for both Cruise and Iñárritu, the latter best known for sprawling dramas like The Revenant and Birdman.

Scheduled for release in the United States on October 2, 2026, Digger is described as a “comedy of catastrophic proportions,” suggesting a blend of absurdity and surreal humor that plays to both Cruise’s dramatic range and Iñárritu’s flair for storytelling.

A Bold Collaboration

This project represents Iñárritu’s return to English-language cinema and his first collaboration with Cruise, whose career spans decades of blockbuster hits and genre-bending turns. Digger reunites Cruise with some of Hollywood’s finest — including Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Sophie Wilde, Emma D’Arcy, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Robert John Burke, and Burn Gorman — forming an ensemble as eclectic as the film’s tone.

The Story and Tone

While plot details remain tantalizingly vague, early reports suggest the film centers on a character named Digger Rockwell (Cruise), a man whose self-appointed mission to “save the world” plunges him into a cascade of disasters of his own making. The film’s narrative appears poised to combine elements of sharp satire with Iñárritu’s signature thematic depth — skewering ambition, ego, and the absurdity of human overreach.

Iñárritu, known for weaving existential threads into visually striking films, has reportedly shaped Digger into a comedy that doesn’t just elicit laughs but also invites audiences to reflect on the chaos we create in pursuit of glory.

Behind the Scenes

Production for Digger wrapped in April 2025, having shot on 35 mm VistaVision film — a choice that underscores the filmmakers’ commitment to cinematic craft. Legendary cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, a frequent Iñárritu collaborator, handled photography, promising a visually rich backdrop to the story’s comedic upheavals.

With a script co-written by Iñárritu alongside Sabina Berman, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Nicolás Giacobone, the film aims to balance character-driven humor with the director’s philosophical undercurrents.

What to Expect

Digger isn’t just another entry in Cruise’s filmography — it’s a bold experiment in tone and storytelling from one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars paired with one of its most visionary directors. If early buzz and the talent involved are any indication, audiences may be in for a film that’s as thought-provoking as it is unpredictable.

Mark your calendar for October 2, 2026, when Digger hits theaters and potentially reshapes expectations for what a Tom Cruise movie can be.