Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s highly anticipated new feature has finally been titled Digger, and Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment have finally confirmed its fall release date as October 2, 2026. Headlined by Tom Cruise, the movie has already been buzzing, following its first poster and teaser. The studio introduced the film with the tempting tagline “a comedy of catastrophic proportions,” and instantly set the tone for what looks to be one ambitious, unconventional cinematic experience.
Digger marks Iñárritu’s return to English-language filmmaking for the first time since The Revenant. Shot across multiple locations in the United Kingdom over a six-month schedule, the film sees the Oscar-winning director once again push narrative and stylistic boundaries. Iñárritu is producing and directing the project and co-wrote the screenplay this past year alongside longtime collaborators Nicolas Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris, with additional writing by Sabina Berman.
Not only does he star in the movie, but Cruise is also a producer, entrenching the high-profile creative partnership working on the project. Cruise will play Digger Rockwell, a mysterious, very powerful man whose role has largely been kept under wraps. Per an official logline from Warner Bros., Rockwell is “the most powerful man in the world” on a desperate mission to prove that he is indeed humanity’s savior—before the catastrophic consequences of his own actions destroy everything.
The ensemble cast includes Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, Riz Ahmed, and Emma D’Arcy. This raises anticipation for the film even higher. Opening in early October positions Digger nicely for awards-season contention. Insiders are hedging that the film could bow at the Venice Film Festival – a comfortable and pivotal launching pad for Iñárritu.
He has had a very extensive and successful history with major international festivals. Venice have previously hosted Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, which just earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography in 2023. The festival also showcased earlier highlights of his career, including Birdman, which went on to win Best Picture in 2015, and 21 Grams. His legacy at Cannes is equally salient, beginning with Amores Perros 25 years ago, followed by Babel, Biutiful, and the Oscar-winning VR experience Carne y Arena.
For Cruise, Digger serves as his first film after the actor inked a development and production deal with Warner Bros. Discovery this year. The studio hasn’t seen him on their lots in a decade since Edge of Tomorrow. So, this does make Digger a highly anticipated new chapter for him.
