“Verity Opens Strong with $33M+ as Tom Cruise's Digger Hits 19-Year Low with $8M Debut” — what this page in the network covers. Warner Bros.' ambitious auteur film Digger, starring Tom Cruise, is opening to a disappointing $8 million at the North American box office, marking the actor's lowest debut in 19 years since 2007's Lions for Lambs, which opened to $6.7 million. The film, which carries a hefty budget, received a C+ CinemaScore from audiences, signaling weak word-of-mouth. Meanwhile, Verity, another new release, delivered a solid $33 million-plus start, also earning a C+ CinemaScore.
The contrast highlights the risks of big-budget original films in a market favoring established franchises. Amazon MGM Studios' decision to date Digger aggressively may have backfired, as it failed to attract Cruise's typical audience. The results underscore the ongoing challenges for non-franchise films to break through, even with A-list talent. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.