Tom Cruise's 'Digger' Posts Weak Opening as 'Verity' Takes Lead

Tom Cruise's new film "Digger" opened in 3,321 North American theaters and generated about $8 million in its first weekend, a figure that may be adjusted to roughly $7.5 million after final accounting. The movie, produced with a budget estimated between $160 million and $180 million, is projected to fall far short of the $40 million opening needed to approach its break-even point, which executives estimate at $300 million to $350 million worldwide.

Analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Re noted, "For a black comedy, the numbers are not bad. But black comedies are small films, and this isn’t a small film. It’s a Tom Cruise movie." He added that even with ancillary revenue streams, the film is expected to lose a substantial amount.

Warner Bros. has responded to the poor reception with advertising that invites audiences to "decide for yourself," after critics described the film as "unpleasant" and "baffling." Internationally, "Digger" earned $12 million across 73 markets, bringing its global total to about $20 million.

In contrast, the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel "Verity," starring Anne Hathaway, opened in 3,510 theaters and earned $32.6 million domestically, with an additional $30 million from overseas markets, for a worldwide total of $62.5 million. Despite mixed reviews and a CinemaScore of "C+," the film's $40 million production cost positions it to turn a profit.

Other releases this weekend included Sony's "Resident Evil," which posted $12.5 million in its third weekend and has amassed $215 million globally, and Paramount's "Heart of the Beast," which earned $11 million in its second weekend and is on track to exceed $100 million worldwide.

Overall domestic box office receipts reached $7.95 billion, up 19 % from the same point last year, according to Rentrak data. "September certainly did its part," said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak, citing the performance of titles such as "Resident Evil" and "Primetime."