Tom Cruise has spent years persuading audiences to watch him attempt the impossible. With Digger, the challenge is different: convincing moviegoers to embrace an eccentric, darkly comic character who bears little resemblance to his familiar action heroes.

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film arrives in US cinemas on October 2, 2026, carrying considerable expectations. Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon confronting a catastrophe connected to his company’s actions. It is a conspicuous departure for an actor whose recent screen identity has been shaped by spectacular stunts and blockbuster franchises.

Yet the conversation before release has increasingly turned from Cruise’s transformation to a more uncomfortable question: how many people will buy a ticket?

ALSO READ : Emmy Nominations Announcement Gets a Star Twist… Liza Colón-Zayas & Jeff Hiller Set to Reveal 2026 TV Nominees

A costly film facing a modest opening

According to Koimoi’s September 30 report, Digger was tracking for a North American opening below $15 million, against a reported production cost of approximately $125 million. These are reported estimates, rather than confirmed earnings or a final accounting of the film’s costs.

That gap explains the concern surrounding Warner Bros.. An expensive production needs sustained attendance, and a subdued debut would place greater pressure on subsequent weekends and overseas markets.

An opening forecast cannot establish a film’s eventual profit or loss. It can, however, reveal how much work remains for the campaign.

Reviews have complicated the pitch

The critical response has been sharply divided. People reported reactions ranging from admiration for the film’s audacity and Cruise’s commitment to criticism of its scale, coherence and tone.

For potential ticket buyers, that creates an uncertain proposition. Cruise’s presence attracts attention, but attention does not automatically translate into enthusiasm for an unfamiliar kind of film.

The promotional campaign has leaned into that disagreement. The Guardian described advertising that places harsh reactions alongside praise, using the controversy itself to generate interest. Whether that approach encourages curiosity or deepens hesitation remains an open question.

Why ‘Verity’ makes the weekend more intriguing

The Hollywood Reporter expects Digger to open substantially behind Verity, the Amazon MGM Studios adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel. hollywoodreporter.com

Starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, Verity is also scheduled to open on October 2. Its psychological-thriller premise centres on a writer who discovers a disturbing manuscript while completing another author’s book series.

From a marketing perspective, an established novel and a recognisable thriller setup could offer a more immediate hook. Digger, by comparison, asks audiences to take a greater leap into unfamiliar territory.

The audience verdict is still ahead

Cruise has clearly committed to that leap. At the London premiere, Reuters reported that his transformation involved prosthetics and a padded bodysuit, alongside a demanding performance.

The commercial outcome remains unresolved. Strong audience recommendations could give Digger momentum beyond its initial forecasts. A weak response would make its financial challenge harder.

For now, the film’s biggest suspense lies beyond the screen: whether curiosity about Cruise’s unusual gamble becomes an opening-weekend ticket purchase.

Seven years after its original release, Avengers: Endgame has unfinished business at the box office.

The Marvel Studios blockbuster has overtaken James Cameron’s Avatar to become the highest-grossing film worldwide once again. According to The Walt Disney Company’s October 4 announcement, Endgame now holds an estimated $2.9255 billion, narrowly ahead of Avatar’s $2.9237 billion. That puts just $1.8 million between two of cinema’s biggest hits.

The lead is small. The comeback, however, is substantial: a film released in 2019 has drawn enough fresh ticket sales to rewrite the all-time chart.

The ‘Encore’ release that tipped the balance

The latest theatrical run, titled Avengers Endgame: Encore, has earned $126 million worldwide, according to TheWrap. That includes $36.2 million in North America and $89.8 million from international markets—the extra business that pushed the film back into first place.

Audiences also had a reason to return beyond revisiting a familiar blockbuster. TheWrap reports that the reissue features a modified ending and three new scenes during and after the credits, connected to Avengers: Doomsday. The release therefore serves two purposes: bringing an established favourite back to cinemas and giving viewers a bridge to the next Avengers story.

ALSO READ : Emmy Nominations Announcement Gets a Star Twist… Liza Colón-Zayas & Jeff Hiller Set to Reveal 2026 TV Nominees

A rivalry with a history of reversals

This is another change of leadership in a box office contest that has lasted for years.

Endgame first displaced Avatar in 2019. Cameron’s science-fiction epic regained the crown following its Chinese re-release in 2021. Now, another theatrical return has swung the result in Marvel’s favour. Re-releases have become a decisive part of the competition, extending both films’ earning lives well beyond their original runs.

The distinction matters: this is the record for worldwide theatrical revenue without adjustment for inflation, including re-release earnings. It measures money collected rather than the number of tickets sold.

Why ‘Endgame’ matters to ‘Doomsday’

The timing gives Marvel’s comeback an added significance. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to reach cinemas on December 18, 2026, and Disney has positioned Endgame as an important foundation for that next chapter.

Explaining the connection, Anthony Russo said: “You really need to pick the story up from where you left it in Endgame.”

That makes this return more than a victory lap. A film remembered for closing a major chapter of Marvel’s story is now helping introduce the next one—and, along the way, has taken back Hollywood’s most closely watched box office title.

The next chapter for Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery now has a leadership roster — and several familiar names will be taking on considerably bigger responsibilities.

David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz announced their senior executive team on October 5, ahead of the anticipated completion of Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The combined company will be called Skydance, with executives from both businesses overseeing its film, television, streaming and news operations. The appointments are contingent on the transaction closing.

The approximately $110 billion deal is expected to close on October 6, according to TheWrap. The announcement offers a clearer picture of how Ellison intends to run the enlarged business: retain established creative leaders while placing them within a new corporate structure.

ALSO READ : Emmy Nominations Announcement Gets a Star Twist… Liza Colón-Zayas & Jeff Hiller Set to Reveal 2026 TV Nominees

Bigger responsibilities for film and streaming chiefs

Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein will become co-chairs of the Skydance Motion Picture Group, overseeing a film portfolio that brings together Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros..

Meanwhile, Casey Bloys will serve as co-chair and chief content officer of Skydance’s direct-to-consumer division. George Cheeks will hold the corresponding creative leadership position at Skydance TV.

JB Perrette will span both divisions as co-chair and chief business officer, pairing the content leaders with an executive responsible for the commercial side of television and streaming.

For audiences, these appointments matter because the executives will help shape what gets commissioned, produced and distributed. The announcement itself does not establish changes to subscription prices, release schedules or individual programmes.

CNN and CBS News keep separate leadership

One closely watched decision concerns the company’s newsrooms.

Mark Thompson will remain chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN Worldwide, while Bari Weiss stays editor-in-chief of CBS News. Both will report directly to Ellison and Kreiz.

Reuters reported that the arrangement addresses concerns about Weiss potentially overseeing CNN. Thompson also told employees that he expected to retain his existing editorial responsibilities. Questions remain about how the news operations will function within the combined business, including the practical authority of an editorial independence board agreed under an antitrust settlement.

DC leadership stays in place

For DC Studios, the announcement preserves the partnership of James Gunn and Peter Safran as co-chairmen.

At the corporate level, Ellison will concentrate on long-term strategy, creative direction and investment decisions. Kreiz will handle day-to-day management and integration, with Andy Gordon serving as president. Paramount said a fuller executive leadership list would follow after closing.

The roster provides continuity at several prominent brands. The harder work begins when those leaders must turn a combined organisation into a functioning business — balancing creative ambitions with the demands of integration.