Tom Cruise is stepping far outside his familiar action-star image for “Digger,” transforming into an aging billionaire oil tycoon for director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new film.
Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a powerful businessman who finds himself racing to prove he can save humanity from a disaster he helped unleash. The film is scheduled to hit theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026.
In an interview reported by PEOPLE, Cruise described creating the unusual character as a “real leap into the unknown.”
Tom Cruise Undergoes a Dramatic Transformation
The first trailer immediately attracted attention because Cruise looks strikingly different from his roles in “Mission: Impossible” and “Top Gun: Maverick.”
As ABC News reported, the actor appears with white thinning hair, a heavier frame, facial prosthetics and a pronounced Southern accent.
Cruise said the transformation went beyond makeup. Changing his voice, clothing and physical movement helped him gradually discover how Digger should behave on screen.
Cruise Calls the Role a New Acting Challenge
Cruise said creating Digger required him to draw on more than four decades of acting experience.
As part of the process, he asked Iñárritu to read the screenplay aloud during several meetings so he could understand the director’s rhythm and perspective before fully developing the character.
The role is also a major departure from the physically demanding heroes Cruise has played in recent years.
“Digger” marks his first starring role in a non-franchise movie since “American Made” in 2017.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu Returns With an Original Film
“Digger” is directed and co-written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “Birdman” and “The Revenant.”
According to the official Warner Bros. movie site, the story follows an enormously powerful man on a frantic mission to present himself as humanity’s savior before a catastrophe of his own making destroys everything.
The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, Jesse Plemons, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy.
“Digger” Arrives in Theaters October 2
“Digger” will open in North American theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026, with international releases beginning September 30.
For Cruise, the film offers something notably different from another stunt-heavy blockbuster: a heavily transformed character and an opportunity to disappear into an unpredictable new role under one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors.