Warner Bros. Chiefs Hail Tom Cruise’s Next Movie as a Mind-Blowing Cinematic Experience

Alright, Tom Cruise fans: if you ever thought he was done surprising audiences, think again. Turns out the man’s not just clinging to planes and jumping off cliffs these days. He’s teaming up with Alejandro G. Iñárritu (yeah, that Iñárritu—'Birdman', 'The Revenant', five Oscars) for a movie called 'Digger', and it sounds like Cruise is going full wildcard.

Here’s what Warner Bros. co-chair Pam Abdy is saying about Cruise’s role:
'Tom is extraordinary. Nothing you've ever seen. That's what's so brilliant. This is the fourth time I've worked with him. He never repeats himself, and he's constantly taking you into his mind and his vision and surprising you. And this movie does exactly that.'

If you’ve followed his career, you know Cruise rarely just coasts on autopilot. Still, this is a guy who literally risked his life repeatedly for 'Mission: Impossible', and here’s a studio head saying he’s never done anything like what you’ll see in 'Digger'. I’m intrigued, if only to see how Cruise manages to out-weird his own resume.

So, what’s 'Digger' about?

The official line is that it’s a black comedy, but not the ha-ha kind. According to IMDb’s blurb, the story centers on ‘the most powerful man in the world’ scrambling to prove he’s humanity’s savior before a disaster of his own making wipes out, well, everything. It sounds like satire, but in Iñárritu’s hands, expect some heavy existential dread—and probably at least one scene where Cruise stares deep into the void.

That Cast—Seriously Stacked

• Tom Cruise (doing something we haven't ever seen, apparently)
• Jesse Plemons
• Sandra Hüller
• Riz Ahmed
• Sophie Wilde
• Emma D'Arcy
• Robert John Burke
• Burn Gorman
• Michael Stuhlbarg
• John Goodman

If that doesn’t get you interested, I don’t know what will. Basically, it’s a murderers’ row of character actors and up-and-coming talent. I’d pay to watch these folks read a phone book, let alone bounce off a barely-hinged Cruise.

Why All the Hype?

Cruise has been in the spotlight for decades, mixing breathtaking stunt work with the odd prestige role (and yes, the occasional real-life controversy—you know what I’m talking about). But since 'Mission: Impossible', he’s mostly been the king of the big-budget, practical-effects action set piece. A black comedy with Iñárritu? That’s a curveball. For Cruise, this could be a chance to flex some indie-cred acting chops people haven’t cared about since 'Magnolia'.

As for Iñárritu, he’s a director with a shelf full of Oscars. The guy doesn’t do cookie-cutter. If he wanted Cruise, he must have seen something bonkers in the script—or maybe Cruise just really wanted to try ‘dark and funny nervous breakdown’? Either way, this isn’t going to be your average autumn movie fare.

Mark Your Calendar

'Digger' hits theaters October 2. So if you like your Cruise with a side of existential spiral (and a stacked supporting cast), mark it down. In the meantime, you could always revisit the 'Mission: Impossible' movies and decide for yourself which one deserves the top slot (personally, it’s II for the doves, but I digress).