Two powerful forces in film are coming together, and one might say it's already looking Oscar-worthy. The trailer for Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "Digger" starring Tom Cruise has arrived, and just like they describe it - it's a comedy of catastrophic proportions. While Cruise has spent more than four decades pushing the limits of action movies, the actor says his next film challenged him in a way nothing else has.
Shot entirely in VistaVision, the trailer introduces Digger, a powerful, money-hungry, oil-loving billionaire who seems to only care about his pocket and his dying cat. When the world comes face to face with an environmental disaster, Digger and the United States government try to do what they do best - cover up their own mistakes. Cruise is completly unrecognizable, and the trailer has over 2.7 million views in 1 day.
For Cruise, the collaboration was decades in the making. HOLA! Had the opportunity to attend a Q&A at Warner Bros, where we watched the trailer, and the actor revealed he has admired Iñárritu ever since seeing Amores Perros nearly 25 years ago. "When I saw his film 25 years ago, Amores Perros... what a brilliant film," Cruise recalled. "I was one of the first audiences... I was like, 'What the f---? This guy!'"
© GettyThe performance immediately made him want to know more about the filmmaker. "I called all my friends," Cruise said. "I was like, 'Call the studios. You've got to see this movie. Who's this guy, Alejandro?"
Years later, that admiration turned into one of the most anticipated collaborations of Cruise's career. According to Deadline, when Cruise learned Iñárritu was developing his next studio film, he quickly arranged a meeting. By the end of it, he had committed to starring in the project.
Looking back now, Cruise believes the timing couldn't have been better. "I have never had something that could challenge me in this way, and neither has Alejandro," he said. "When you see this film, it's totally original."
© David JonThe actor explained that creating the character meant discovering an entirely new rhythm, one built through movement, music, makeup, and physicality. "There is not one rhythm or comedy-fits-all," Cruise said, describing how every performance develops its own unique cadence.
He credited Iñárritu's meticulous creative process with helping shape that journey, recalling that the director spent days simply reading the script to him so they could fully understand the world they were building together.
© GettyCruise also praised the filmmaker's attention to detail, saying every element of Digger was intentional. "He's never made something like this before, nor have I," Cruise said while reflecting on the film's ambitious scope.
It may be hard to believe, but despite four Academy Award nominations throughout his career, including Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, Cruise has never won an Oscar.
© Kevin WinterHe did, however, accept an Academy Honorary Award from Iñárritu during the 16th Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom in 2025 - perhaps a foreshadowing, because the industry seems almost certain this will be Cruise's moment.
Iñárritu has one of Hollywood's strongest awards track records. His 2014 film Birdman earned nine Academy Award nominations and won four, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.
Two years later, The Revenant received 12 Oscar nominations, winning four more, including Best Director for Iñárritu and Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, whose performance finally earned him his first Academy Award.
© Kevin WinterFor Cruise, though, the project represents something deeper than accolades. Reflecting on his decades in Hollywood, the actor said he's still approaching every film with the same curiosity he had as a young performer. "I'm so grateful. It's kind of amazing to be here at this age," he said.
And despite a career that has redefined blockbuster filmmaking, Cruise insists he still isn't finished learning. "I've never felt like, 'I'm there.' You're never there. It's always the next dream, the love of this art form, and the passion."
The Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures film also stars Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Robert John Burke, Emma D'Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde. Digger opens in theaters and IMAX across North America on October 2.
© David Jon
