Tom Cruise’s latest movie Digger appears headed for a major box office disappointment, with the expensive R-rated satire projected to bring in just $6 million to $7 million domestically despite its reported production budget of as much as $180 million.

The film, directed by Oscar winner Alejandro González Iñárritu, puts Cruise in the unusual role of Digger Rockwell, a wealthy oil tycoon whose actions contribute to an ecological disaster. The official premise follows the powerful businessman as he attempts to convince the world that he is its savior before the catastrophe he helped create destroys everything.

Rather than another straightforward action blockbuster, Digger is an apocalyptic political satire that takes aim at wealthy elites, environmental issues, government and other contemporary social concerns. The film has drawn particular attention for Cruise's deliberately exaggerated performance as an arrogant and increasingly desperate oil magnate.

Critics, however, have been sharply divided. Digger currently sits around 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus describing it as an ambitious satire that does not always make its humor work.

Several reviews have been particularly harsh. Critics have described the movie as muddled, shallow, pompous and overly heavy-handed, while others have argued that its political commentary repeatedly beats the audience over the head rather than allowing the satire to speak for itself. One review criticized the film for treating its own message as smarter than its audience, while another compared its bloated approach to other high-profile cinematic misfires.

The film's treatment of its environmental and political themes has also become a point of contention. Critics have noted that the story takes aim at subjects including climate change, wealth inequality and powerful corporations, while some reviews have argued that its satire is too obvious and self-important to be effective.

Even Cruise's performance has divided reviewers. Some have praised his willingness to play such an unlikeable and over-the-top character, while others have found the portrayal excessive. Riz Ahmed's supporting performance has received considerably more consistent praise from critics.

The box office numbers have deteriorated alongside the mixed reception. Early tracking had placed the movie's opening somewhere around $20 million to $30 million, but projections were later reduced to the $12 million to $15 million range before falling even further.

That makes the current $6 million to $7 million projection especially damaging for a film of this scale. Digger reportedly began with a $125 million budget before production costs climbed substantially, with industry reports placing the final figure between $160 million and $180 million. Warner Bros. has disputed those higher estimates.

For Cruise, the weak performance is notable because his recent career has been built around major theatrical successes such as Top Gun: Maverick and the Mission: Impossible franchise. Digger represents a very different gamble, relying on an original adult satire rather than an established action franchise.

If the current projections hold, Digger could become one of the most significant financial disappointments of Cruise's career, leaving Warner Bros. with a costly lesson about how far even one of Hollywood's biggest stars can carry an unconventional movie.