Anne Hathaway has offered an enthusiastic endorsement of Tom Cruise’s Digger, calling the critically divisive film “brilliant” despite its disappointing theatrical debut. The Oscar-winning actress shared her first review on Letterboxd on October 7, awarding Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s dark comedy five stars and encouraging moviegoers to give it a chance. Her praise arrives at an interesting moment, with Digger struggling commercially while Hathaway’s own film, Verity, has emerged as a major box-office success.
“I loved this brilliant movie,” Hathaway wrote on Letterboxd. She described the film as “smart and trippy and aggressive and funny and ambitious,” before concluding her review with an emphatic “For me? 10/10 ”
The actress also encouraged audiences to watch the film and form their own opinions rather than relying entirely on its mixed reception. Her endorsement is particularly notable because Digger has become one of the most commercially disappointing releases of Cruise’s recent career, despite bringing together a major Hollywood star and an Academy Award-winning filmmaker.
Anne Hathaway praises Digger as Tom Cruise faces box-office disappointment
Released in North American cinemas on October 2, Digger marks a significant departure from the action-heavy roles that have defined much of Cruise’s recent career. Directed and co-written by Iñárritu, the satirical comedy stars Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a powerful oil tycoon attempting to save humanity from an environmental catastrophe that his own actions helped create.
The film also features Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma D’Arcy and Sophie Wilde. Rather than relying on the elaborate action sequences associated with Mission: Impossible or Top Gun: Maverick, the story explores wealth, corporate influence, environmental destruction and the contradictions of powerful individuals presenting themselves as society’s saviours.
However, the ambitious premise has not translated into strong ticket sales. According to the Associated Press, Digger earned approximately $8 million in North America and $20 million worldwide during its opening weekend. With production costs reported to be at least $125 million, the film faces a difficult road toward recovering its substantial investment.
Its critical reception has been similarly challenging. The film received a C+ CinemaScore from opening-weekend audiences and attracted mixed-to-negative reviews, with critics divided over Iñárritu’s exaggerated storytelling and heavy-handed satire.
Hathaway’s reaction stands in sharp contrast to that reception. Rather than treating the film’s commercial performance as a reflection of its artistic value, she praised its willingness to experiment with tone, humour and unconventional storytelling.
Her comments also carry an interesting box-office connection. Hathaway currently stars alongside Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett in Verity, the psychological thriller based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. Both films opened in the same North American theatrical weekend, but Verity secured first place with approximately $32.6 million, considerably ahead of Digger.
Despite appearing in the weekend’s commercially successful film, Hathaway has publicly encouraged audiences to support Cruise’s less successful release. It is a notable example of an actor recognising another production’s creative ambitions, even when the two films are competing for moviegoers’ attention.
Hathaway joins Hollywood filmmakers defending Digger
Hathaway is not the only prominent Hollywood figure to express admiration for Digger following its difficult opening.
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro previously defended Iñárritu’s work on X, challenging the dismissive tone of some criticism and praising the film’s scale, ambition and willingness to take creative risks. Directors Ron Howard and Alfonso Cuarón have also been among the industry figures expressing support, while actor Glen Powell praised the experience of watching the film.
The contrasting reactions have created an unusual conversation around Digger. For some viewers and critics, its exaggerated satire and unconventional storytelling make it an exhausting experience. For its supporters, those same qualities represent an ambitious creative departure from the more familiar formulas of contemporary Hollywood blockbusters.
The debate also reflects an important distinction between financial performance and artistic reception. A movie can struggle to attract a mainstream audience while still appealing to filmmakers and viewers who appreciate experimentation. However, enthusiastic celebrity endorsements do not necessarily guarantee improved ticket sales or broader public approval.
For Cruise, Digger represents a substantial creative gamble after years of commercially successful action filmmaking. Working with Iñárritu offered an opportunity to explore a dramatically different character, even if the collaboration has not produced the box-office result Warner Bros. anticipated.
Hathaway’s praise also arrives ahead of her first confirmed screen collaboration with Cruise. The two actors are set to appear together in the upcoming sequel to Days of Thunder, the 1990 racing drama that originally starred Cruise as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle. Directed by Jonathan Levine, the sequel is scheduled for June 2028, with Hathaway joining Cruise in a story returning to the world of professional motorsport.
There is no indication that Hathaway’s positive review was connected to their upcoming project, and her Letterboxd post focuses on her reaction to Digger itself.
For now, her five-star rating adds another prominent voice to the conversation surrounding Iñárritu’s divisive film. Whether that attention translates into renewed audience interest is uncertain, but Hathaway’s message offers a different way of approaching the debate: a disappointing opening weekend does not have to be the final judgement on a movie’s creative merits.
