Warner Bros has finally unveiled the first trailer for Digger, offering audiences their first look at Tom Cruise in one of the most unexpected roles of his career. Known for portraying action heroes and charismatic leading men, Cruise is almost unrecognisable this time as Digger Rockwell, an ageing Southern oil tycoon whose actions appear to trigger a global environmental catastrophe. The trailer immediately stands apart from the actor’s previous work, blending political satire, dark comedy and large-scale disaster into a film unlike anything he has done before. With Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu behind the camera, expectations are already running high ahead of its theatrical release.
The preview suggests that Digger combines absurd humour with serious global stakes. As melting ice caps threaten the planet, the President of the United States, played by John Goodman, turns to Digger Rockwell in the hope that the same man responsible for the crisis can somehow save humanity. Goodman’s fictional president appears to borrow traits from both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, adding another satirical layer to the film’s political backdrop.
Tom Cruise Undergoes a Dramatic Transformation
The biggest talking point from the trailer is undoubtedly Cruise’s remarkable physical transformation. Sporting a potbelly, grey hair and a thick Southern accent, the actor looks nothing like the high-energy action star audiences are used to seeing. The role continues Cruise’s tradition of surprising fans with unconventional characters, recalling memorable performances such as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, Lestat in Interview with the Vampire and the ruthless hitman in Collateral.
Speaking during Warner Bros’ presentation, director Alejandro G. Iñárritu explained how long the idea had been developing. He said, “Ladies and gentlemen, prepare yourself, because Mother Nature loves motherf*ckers.” Reflecting on the film’s origins, the filmmaker added, “just after The Revenant, when I had an idea, not script, not a film, just a relentless recurring obsession, that has endured through all these wild years. I knew who this character was.”
Iñárritu also revealed that Cruise was always his first choice for the role. He said, “The film needed Tom. We wanted to work together since the beginning of the century. I admired him as an actor for years, and that wasn’t a surprise for me. The surprise was discovering that the human being behind the actor was just as extraordinary as the performances I will see throughout his career.” Describing Cruise’s commitment, the filmmaker continued, “The transformation he went through was astonishing,” before recalling the actor telling him, “It took me 40 years to become this character.”
Cruise Explains Why He Said Yes
Tom Cruise also shared how Iñárritu first introduced him to the character. He recalled, “Alejandro, he shows me, he’s like, ‘I want you to look like this.’ And it wasn’t like he said, ‘This is the kind of character.’ So, I’m thinking, ‘This guy’s got f*cking balls,’ and I’m like, ‘I can’t wait. Let’s go.’” The actor explained that the bold creative vision convinced him almost immediately that the project would be unlike anything he had done before.
Speaking about his approach to acting, Cruise said, “Whether it’s Les Grossman or Interview With the Vampire, Collateral or Risky Business, I’m always asking, ‘How do I communicate this?’ The physicality, the makeup, that is stuff that you find as you are learning how to communicate.” He further explained, “You really have to understand the tools, it’s not one size fits all. You have to find the communication, the lenses, the color of the makeup. The level of detail of making a film like this is… Color of the cowboy boots. What are my shorts like? The sets, the color of the sets. They’re beautiful on every single level, and it’s all very… You look at the taste of this man. It’s very special.”
Cruise concluded by praising Iñárritu’s filmmaking style, saying, “I think when you see Digger, just the level of detail, the skill, the layers of making this film… He’s (Iñárritu) never made something like this before, nor have I.”
A Different Kind of Tom Cruise Film
Beyond Cruise’s transformation, Digger also marks another collaboration between Alejandro G. Iñárritu and acclaimed cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, who previously won an Academy Award for their work together on The Revenant. The film was shot using VistaVision cameras based on a classic 1954 design, a choice expected to give the project a distinctive large-format cinematic look. The trailer shown by Warner Bros is the same footage that was first screened for exhibitors during CinemaCon earlier this year.
With its unusual premise, satirical political themes and one of Tom Cruise’s boldest career transformations, Digger is already shaping up to be one of the most intriguing releases on the 2026 movie calendar. Warner Bros has scheduled the film to arrive in theatres on October 2, where audiences will finally see whether Cruise and Iñárritu’s ambitious collaboration lives up to the growing anticipation.
