Tom Cruise's new film Digger is facing a major problem at the box office and the loss can reach up to $245 million. The film has not brought in enough money to cover its huge costs, despite having a well-known star in the lead role.
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a rich oil businessman, in the dark comedy which is directed by Alejandro G. The film, however, cost Warner Bros around $280 million to make and promote as it has earned only about $35 million worldwide so far.
Things then got really harder for the film in its second weekend, when ticket sales fell by around 60 percent. According to Variety, the film may finish its run in cinemas with only $50 million in total earnings.
Industry analysts point out that high production budgets require extraordinary global turnout to break even, a target that seems increasingly out of reach for this particular project. Cruise, whereas, said that he does not make films just to do well on their opening weekend.
He is hoping that his work will stay with people and remain meaningful over time. The poor results are a sharp change from his recent success with Top Gun and Mission: Impossible, both of which dominated global box office charts for weeks.
Meanwhile, other studio releases have also experienced mixed fortunes, indicating a shifting trend in viewer preferences across international markets this season. For instance, The Social Reckoning also had a slow start only earning $9 million all over the world, showing that audiences are currently very selective.
Theater owners and distributors are now reassessing their marketing strategies to mitigate further losses as the holiday season approaches with heavy competition. Despite the current setback, entertainment experts believe that Tom Cruise's enduring global appeal will help him bounce back strongly with his upcoming cinematic ventures.