'Verity' Tops Box Office With $32.6M as Cruise's 'Digger' Stumbles

Amazon MGM's "Verity" took No. 1 in North American theaters in its opening weekend with $32.6 million, according to ABC News.

It was not close. Warner Bros.' "Digger," starring Tom Cruise, opened to $8 million domestically. That ranks as one of the worst debuts of Cruise's career.

"Verity" is directed by Michael Showalter. It stars Dakota Johnson as a writer hired to ghostwrite a book series for an incapacitated author, played by Anne Hathaway.

The film moved fast out of the gate. It earned $15.1 million on Friday alone, Variety reported in early weekend estimates. The final $32.6 million total held the top spot through Sunday.

"Digger" struggled from the start. It grossed $3.4 million on its opening day, according to Variety. Warner Bros. identifies the movie as an original film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and lists Cruise in the title role.

The international numbers did not change the picture much. "Digger" added $12 million from 74 markets outside North America, ABC News reported.

The math is tough for "Digger." The film cost at least $125 million to make. Reports put the production budget closer to $150 million, with an estimated additional $100 million in marketing spend.

Audience and critic response was soft. "Digger" holds a 51% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the site that aggregates reviews. It received a C+ CinemaScore, the grade from a poll of opening-night moviegoers.

That $8 million start was Cruise's lowest opening in 19 years, Deadline reported. "Verity" also received a C+ CinemaScore, despite its first-place finish.

What makes this stand out is the split. One star-led release found a clear audience. The other, with a major star and an Oscar-winning director, did not connect in its first weekend.