Tom Cruise Transforms in Trailer for His Debut Apocalyptic Thriller Comedy

Tom Cruise is stepping into a new role with a fresh, disheveled look reminiscent of his days as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, in a film titled Digger, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, known for Birdman and The Revenant.

Details about the film remain scarce, but it’s being described as “a comedy of catastrophic proportions.” The plot centers around Cruise’s character, who is portrayed as “the most powerful man in the world” on a frantic quest to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he has caused leads to total destruction.

The trailer features Cruise’s character, Digger Rockwell, starting in a dark room with a shovel and transitioning to a triumphant moment on a beach boardwalk at sunset. The accompanying track, “O’Green World” by Gorillaz, complements the film’s apocalyptic theme.

Digger also includes a talented cast with Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, Riz Ahmed, and Emma D’Arcy, although none appear in the trailer or are mentioned by name.

Filming took place over six months in the U.K., marking Iñárritu’s first English-language project since The Revenant. He co-wrote Digger in 2023 with his Birdman collaborators Nicolas Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris, along with Sabina Berman, who worked on Macho and Gloria. For Cruise, this marks his first release with Warner Bros. Discovery since Edge of Tomorrow over a decade ago, following a deal in January to develop and produce theatrical films.

It’s intriguing to see Cruise take this direction after seemingly wrapping up his Mission: Impossible franchise with the latest installment, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. Prior to that, he had been riding the success of his franchises, notably reviving Top Gun. Now, he’s diving into a smaller-scale comedy where he appears less polished (his hair looks a bit balding in the trailer) and seems to embrace a more eccentric character. Is he experiencing a transformative moment like Leonardo DiCaprio, or are we in for something even more unconventional?

Digger is set to hit theaters on October 2, 2026.