Ben Affleck defends Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ and warns against punishing risky films

Alejandro G Inarritu film stars Cruise as an oil tycoon confronting a global catastrophe after an Antarctic disaster

Ben Affleck has defended Tom Cruise’s Digger amid its disappointing box office performance, warning that celebrating its failure could encourage Hollywood studios to produce increasingly formulaic films.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Affleck compared the public reaction to the film with school bullying, arguing that some people appeared eager to mock its commercial performance without necessarily watching it.

He described Digger as an ambitious project made by talented filmmakers and said its financial losses should not overshadow the creative risks involved in producing an unconventional film.

“If you punish movies that take risks, guess what you’re going to get? A bunch of s***ty homogenised movies,” Affleck said, according to Variety. He added that filmmakers cannot create something genuinely interesting without taking significant creative chances, even when those decisions risk public criticism.

Directed by Alejandro G Inarritu, Digger stars Cruise as an oil tycoon confronting a potential global catastrophe after an oil rig malfunctions in Antarctica. The incident triggers a chain of events threatening to send ice towards Europe.

The film has divided critics and struggled commercially since its October 2 release. According to figures reported by Variety, it had earned approximately $15m at the domestic box office against a production budget exceeding $160m. Marketing costs were reportedly estimated at another $100m.

The publication also reported that the film could leave Warner Bros facing losses of around $245m, making it one of the studio’s most expensive box office disappointments.

Affleck is not the only prominent figure to defend the project. Anne Hathaway praised the film on Letterboxd, describing it as ambitious and encouraging audiences to see it and form their own opinions. Musician Neil Young and actor Mandy Patinkin also expressed strong support.