See what Tom Cruise had to say about finding the rhythm of his massive new cinematic experience, Digger, coming to theaters and IMAX this October.
The highly anticipated first trailer for Digger has officially dropped, showcasing Tom Cruise as we have never seen him before. Directed by Academy Award-winner Alejandro Iñárritu, the film, from what we have seen, is an absurd yet comedic cinematic experience.
Mama’s Geeky was incredibly honored to be invited to a special event for the trailer release, where we got to see the stunning first footage on the big screen – not just once, but twice. Following the screening, we attended a special Q&A with Tom Cruise himself, who was kind enough to take the time to meet and talk with every single journalist in attendance. He truly is the nicest guy ever.
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During the Q&A, Tom Cruise spoke passionately about the film’s ten-year journey to the screen, his collaboration with Alejandro Iñárritu, and the meticulously detailed craft behind Digger.
Tom Cruise On Alejandro Iñárritu
When reflecting on his long-standing admiration for the director, Tom Cruise recalled his reaction to Iñárritu’s early work:
“When I saw his film 25 years ago, Amores Perros, what a brilliant film. It was amazing. I was one of the first audiences, and I heard about it early on, so when I saw that film, I don’t know how you all felt, but I was like, “What the fuck? This guy!””
He further detailed the extensive history and growth of their artistic partnership:
“He came to me with this project, Digger, which he’d been working on for a couple of years by then. And he came to me, I guess now seven years ago, something like that, as he was developing, working on it, and then we just worked on it together.”
When breaking down how he finds the specific vocal and physical cadence for a new character, Cruise explained:
“If you start to feel the musicality of the character, it has a rhythm, and it’s not a rhythm like anything else. So the behavior of a character, the movement of a character, these are things that as we’re looking at the makeup side, as you’re developing, you got to go, is this our tone? Is it drama? Is it comedy? Is it too much? You’re dialing it in.”
He also shared a glimpse into their rigorous preparation process:
“Alejandro took several days during which he was just reading the script to me and I’m listening to everything that’s in his mind, so that I can understand that, and then I know how to contribute to it, and bring that collaboration together. And to be there with Alejandro, it was beautiful.”
Tom Cruise On Artistry & Craft
Reflecting on his early days as a young actor learning from industry masters, Cruise shared:
“On Taps, I’m there with DP Owen Roizman and he’s talking about lenses. He’s got to be thinking, “Yeah, this kids just asking me gazillion questions.” And he’s telling me all these technical things and I was just trying to absorb what he was saying.”
He added how grateful he feels to still be working with top-tier talent at this point in his career:
“I’m so grateful. It’s kind of amazing to be here at this age. I think back to that kid on the set looking into different departments, and those people that were gracious enough to be able to share that knowledge, and I was like, “I know I don’t understand it now. One day I will understand it more,” and I did. I feel fortunate.”
Tom Cruise On Creating Digger Rockwell
When discussing the sheer excitement of diving into such an original and challenging project, Cruise said:
“There’s nothing better than to physically and metaphorically stand on the edge of a cliff and go, “Let’s do this. And I trust you and whatever we’re going to do, I know this is going to be a hell of an experience and let’s come together and let’s do it. Let’s all do it.”
He also noted how intense the attention to detail was for the character’s look:
“You really have to understand the tools, it’s not one size fits all. You have to find the communication, the lenses, the color of the makeup. The level of detail of making a film like this is… Color of the cowboy boots. What are my shorts like? The sets, the color of the sets. They’re beautiful on every single level, and it’s all very… You look at the taste of this man. It’s very special.”
Expressing his pure, unadulterated love for cinema, Cruise emphasized his perspective as a viewer:
“Well, first of all, I’m the audience. I love movies. I love all kinds of movies. I love going to opening weekend, I like being there with an audience.”
Tom Cruise On VistaVision
When talking about the choice to shoot on the vintage VistaVision format, Tom Cruise had a lot to say about the tangible feel of the camera:
“Just loading a camera in VistaVision, the sound of that film going through, I was like, “Just everyone quiet for a second. Let’s just hear it going through.” It’s a beautiful thing. I love it.”
Concluding with a beautiful piece of advice for the next generation of filmmakers, Cruise stated:
“I tell people, learn these skills and go off and communicate your own stories. You don’t have to do it like I do. Do your thing.”
The breathtaking trailer for Digger is officially out now for the world to see.
About Digger
Academy Award winner Tom Cruise stars in Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s original film Digger, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures.
The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
Cruise stars in the title role, alongside Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Oscar nominee Jesse Plemons. Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde also star.
Iñárritu directed from a screenplay by Iñárritu & Oscar-winners Alexander Dinelaris & Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, story by Iñárritu & Berman. The film is produced by Iñárritu, Oscar nominee Mary Parent, Cruise and Michael Sharp, and executive produced by Joshua Grode, Berman, Dinelaris, Giacobone, Jez Butterworth and Emmanuel Lubezki.
Joining Iñárritu behind the camera are previous collaborators Oscar-winning director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki; editors Conor O’Neill and Oscar winner Stephen Mirrone; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West; Oscar-winning makeup and hair designer Alessandro Bertolazzi; and Oscar-nominated casting director Francine Maisler; along with Oscar-winning production designer Dennis Gassner and production designer Richard Johnson, Oscar-winning prosthetic makeup designer Kazu Hiro, and composer Cosmo Sheldrake.
An Alejandro G. Iñárritu Film, Digger was shot entirely in VistaVision.
Mark your calendars, because DIGGER is only in theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026.
