Del Toro defends Digger’s theatrical release after mixed reviews
Developed over time first seen 6 days ago
Guillermo del Toro has defended *Digger*’s cinema release after the film received mixed reviews, arguing that its scale and ambition make it a theatrical experience. He criticised an IGN review that advised viewers to wait for streaming, calling its headline “petty”, and has shared other audience members’ praise on social media.
Tom Cruise plays oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, who tries to avoid blame for a catastrophe he caused and present himself as humanity’s saviour. The film has a 51% critics’ rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore; del Toro compared its reception with films such as *The King of Comedy*, *The Big Lebowski* and *The Counselor*, which gained appreciation over time.
- Del Toro says *Digger* is best experienced in cinemas.
- He criticised an IGN review advising viewers to wait for streaming.
- The film has a 51% critics’ rating and a C+ CinemaScore.
New here? Start with this
"Digger" is a new film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and stars Tom Cruise as an oil tycoon who faces consequences after causing a disaster. The film has received mixed reviews from both critics and audiences.
A central debate surrounding the film concerns whether it justifies a trip to the cinema or whether audiences should wait to watch it on streaming platforms. This reflects a broader question in the film industry about the value of theatrical experiences and whether certain ambitious works are best seen on the big screen.
Guillermo del Toro is a filmmaker who has contributed to discussions about the film. Divided receptions to ambitious cinema often spark broader conversations about artistic value and how audiences choose to experience different works.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Cinema is an art form best experienced theatrically, particularly for ambitious, complex works that rely on scale and visual sophistication. While Digger has received mixed reviews, this reflects the inherent risk in artistic ambition—challenging works often face initial critical resistance before later appreciation. Del Toro's historical examples are instructive: many now-canonical films were initially dismissed. Audiences should not simply outsource their judgment to aggregated scores; a work described as decidedly theatrical deserves individual evaluation, not summary dismissal based on mixed reviews.
The case against
A 51% critical rating and C+ CinemaScore indicate genuine mixed reception, not misunderstood brilliance awaiting rediscovery. Recommending that audiences wait for streaming is sensible consumer advice: it respects budget constraints and acknowledges that most films with mixed initial receptions remain mixed. Del Toro's historical parallels romanticise cinema—most initial critical failures do not become classics. Audiences are not obligated to fund every theatrical experiment regardless of reception, and suggesting they might have legitimate practical reasons to wait for streaming is consumer guidance, not pettiness.
Full account
Guillermo del Toro has publicly praised Digger, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new black comedy starring Tom Cruise, despite a mixed critical response. On X, he objected to a headline accompanying IGN’s review, calling it petty, and said the film’s scale, ambition and cinematic complexity made it a theatrical experience. His defence was a personal endorsement: he wrote that he liked the film, while acknowledging that others might not.
Del Toro went on to share posts praising the Warner Bros. release, including one focused on Cruise’s performance. He said positive reactions were appearing prominently on his timeline and that he would continue reposting them, adding the exhortation “Dig or Die”. In a further post, he drew a comparison with films including The King of Comedy, The Big Lebowski and The Counselor, which he said had faced critical scrutiny before later finding greater audience appreciation.
The reports describe Digger as a satire about oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, played by Cruise, who tries to contain a catastrophe he caused and avoid blame. The film’s reception has been divided: it has a 51 per cent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Source 1 also reports a C+ CinemaScore. Source 2 highlights a negative assessment from Variety’s chief film critic, who argued that the comedy was not funny and criticised the film’s scale and self-importance.
Source 2 gives more attention to the commercial outlook, reporting Friday domestic takings of $3.4 million and an estimated opening weekend of $7.5 million, figures that point to a poor launch. It also notes Cruise’s public message thanking the cast and crew and saying he was proud of the film. Source 1 instead centres on del Toro’s defence and the comparisons he made with films that gained appreciation over time; it does not include the box-office figures or Cruise’s response.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 says del Toro responded to IGN’s review and quotes his comparison with The King of Comedy, The Big Lebowski and The Counselor. Source 2 also reports the response to a review, but gives more context on critical and audience reception, box-office estimates and Cruise’s post about making the film.
Source 1 reports a C+ CinemaScore as well as the 51 per cent Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score. Source 2 mentions the Rotten Tomatoes score but not the CinemaScore.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Deadline as “Guillermo Del Toro Buries ‘Digger’ In Praise, Slams “Petty” Review: “Decidedly A Theatrical Experience””.