The trailer for Digger (2026) is the audience’s first real clue about the shape and style of the upcoming Tom Cruise-led satire, which looks like an absolutely wild time. The comedy comes courtesy of Alejandro G. Iñárritu, whose dramatic fare like 21 Grams (2003) and Babel (2006) didn’t prepare people for his truly wild comedy Birdman (2014). That latter film cemented Iñárritu’s place in the cinematic comedic lexicon, with a prickly but deeply human look at fame that helped bring Michael Keaton back into the spotlight.
His next satire looks to be more overtly funny, albeit in a grim, gallows humor sort of way. Focusing on a drilling tycoon who may have gone too far in his latest venture and now needs to try to save his business and the world at the same time, Digger looks to be taking cues from some of the most iconic satires of all time. It’s also recruited one of the biggest movie stars in the world to play the titular Digger, setting up Tom Cruise for the funniest performance of his career and possibly earning the actor his fifth Best Actor nomination at the Oscars.
‘Digger’ Looks Like A Brutal Social Satire From The ‘Birdman’ Director
Digger’s trailer does a lot of work to set up its plot by teasing an explosive comedy that could bring down the whole world around it. The film focuses on Digger Rockwell (Cruise), an ambitious and ultra-wealthy oil tycoon whose latest excursion has seemingly taken him to Greenland, but, in turn, has caused a fissure in the ground that has created a chain reaction that threatens the world at large. Tasked by the President of the United States, played by comedy legend John Goodman, with undoing the damage he has caused, Digger now has to find a way to maintain his efforts to control the world while also saving it from the damage he caused to it.
While the trailer doesn’t offer many facts on the supporting characters, there are a few clues. Riz Ahmed plays Ganesh, a scientist who finds himself at odds with Digger over his actions for the sake of profit. Meanwhile, Project Hail Mary (2026) star Sandra Hüller appears to be someone within Digger’s orbit, potentially a PR agent or even a love interest.
From a quick look, Digger looks to be following in the footsteps of classic satires like Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) or more modern fare like Don’t Look Up (2021), poking fun at the potential doom of the world even while highlighting the innate horror of it.
Tom Cruise Gets To Be Funny For ‘Digger’
The secret weapon to Digger is that Alejandro G. Iñárritu has found a wild comedic performer in the form of Tom Cruise. While he may be more famous for his action movies like the Mission: Impossible series or Top Gun: Maverick (2022), Cruise has always been a quietly hilarious performer when comedy arises. His big breakout hit was the coming-of-age comedy Risky Business (1983), and he adjusted well to the genre when it blended with action in movies like Knight and Day (2010).
His best comedic performance is still the mega-Hollywood producer Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder (2008), the ruthless and vulgar head of a production company who was so memorable that there were brief calls for him to get his own spin-off film. Digger Rockwell seems to be a similar comedic creation, a relentlessly confident tycoon who would rather risk the world than shut down a revenue stream. The trailer alone highlights just how good Cruise is, pitting him alongside comedy icons like John Goodman and letting him cook.
Could Digger Earn Tom Cruise A Long-Awaited Oscar Nomination?
Digger may not seem like the kind of movie that wins Oscars from the first trailer alone, but there’s a lot to suggest there might be some real momentum behind the film once it is released. Despite his pedigree, Tom Cruise has only ever been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, never actually winning the title. Sometimes, awards can go to someone as recognition for their overall career instead of just one role, and a gonzo comedic performance for the ages could impress the academy enough to earn him the win.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu is deeply respected in the film industry, being one of only three people to win Best Director at the Academy Awards twice in a row for Birdman as well as The Revenant (2015), which also helped a Hollywood icon (Leonardo DiCaprio) earn his first Academy Award win. Taken with the timely subject matter, Digger might have all the ingredients it needs to become a surprisingly tough contender at the 99th Academy Awards.
The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
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