John Goodman Says Early Reviews Killed Tom Cruise's "Digger"
John Goodman says negative buzz before release killed "Digger" at the box office. He made the claim on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, and Variety reported his remarks on 2 November 2026.
The film is a big, expensive disaster story. Tom Cruise plays an oil tycoon who faces the end of the world after a rig malfunctions in Antarctica and sends ice caps toward Europe. Alejandro G. Iñárritu directed it. Goodman plays the U.S. president, and he appears opposite Cruise.
The numbers are stark. According to Variety, "Digger" cost north of $160 million to make and earned $15 million in its domestic debut, meaning the United States and Canada. After one month in theatres, it had yet to cross $50 million worldwide. Variety also reported that the film needed an estimated $350 million to break even in cinemas, and that it is projected to lose Warner Bros. around $250 million.
Break-even is the point where a film's box-office takings cover its costs. Those costs include the production budget and the money spent marketing the film. Studios rarely reach that point through theatres alone, so a film with a figure this high has a steep climb.
Goodman's explanation focuses on the reviews. Variety quoted him blaming negative buzz that spread before the film opened. Separately, Entertainment Weekly reported that he said the reviews hurt him. A clip from the same podcast, titled "John Goodman on DIGGER critics: 'They killed us,'" is posted on YouTube. Rotten Tomatoes, the review-aggregation site, gives the film a 53 per cent score, according to Variety.
Goodman did not hide his pride in the project. He said he is proud of "Digger" and called it a huge swing, a risky, ambitious bet. Studios have made many such bets, and the film's result shows how much a few weeks of talk can count when a production is this costly.
For anyone who wants the full conversation, the podcast's complete interview is posted on YouTube under the title "John Goodman on DIGGER, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, SPEED." It covers more than the film, including Goodman's earlier roles.
What comes next for the film in cinemas is not yet clear.
