Tom Cruise is taking on a new role in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new movie Digger. Fans were given an exclusive view of the film during Warner Bros.’ presentation at CinemaCon. At first glance, Cruise looks almost unrecognizable with gray hair, wrinkles, and a heavier physique. His character, billionaire Digger Rockwell, is a powerful executive trying to fix an environmental disaster caused by his own company.
During the event, Cruise gave the crew behind Digger their flowers, saying, “I want to thank you all for everything you do.” He also celebrated the movie’s strong presence in this year’s box office this year, adding, “We’re up 23 percent so far.”
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu shared that he came up with the idea for Digger nine years ago and has been discussing it with Cruise for the past seven years. He praised Cruise’s performance, saying,
“Watching Tom Cruise becoming Digger Rockwell, I was not prepared for that.” He added that while Cruise is known for fearless stunts, “embodying this character, this is another kind of fearless.”
Cruise also said he enjoyed working alongside Iñárritu, calling the project the kind of film that reminds him why he loves acting.
“The movie is wild, it’s funny, and I can’t wait for you all to see it,” he said.
The film follows Rockwell as he deals with a huge methane leak that threatens the well-being of millions of people. At one point in the footage, his character says, “We can’t control the course of nature, at least we can control the narrative.”
Iñárritu described the movie as “a brutal, wild comedy of catastrophic proportions,” adding, “It’s insane. It’s scary and funny and beautiful.”
Digger also stars Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D’Arcy.
