EXCLUSIVE: Tom Cruise's Oscar Dream 'Already Shattered' by 'Digger' Backlash
Tom Cruise hunt for an acting Oscar may not end with 'Digger.'
Sept. 28 2026, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
Tom Cruise's hopes of finally winning a competitive Oscar are "already shattered" after a muted early response to his new comedy Digger left his carefully orchestrated awards campaign facing an uphill battle, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 64-year-old Hollywood star unveiled red hair and height-boosting shoes while joining Prince William, 44, and Kate Middleton, 44, at the movie's London premiere last week.
'Digger' Faces Box Office Pressure Ahead of Release
Cruise now faces fresh Oscar doubts after mixed reactions to 'Digger.'
But despite Cruise embarking on a major publicity blitz before the film's opening, the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed satire is tracking for a disappointing $15million domestic debut.
An industry source told us: "This was supposed to be the moment when Tom finally converted decades of Hollywood goodwill into a competitive acting Oscar, but the feeling now is that it isn't going to happen with Digger. Comedy has historically had a difficult relationship with the Academy, particularly when it comes to Best Actor, and this is a strange, broad performance in a movie that asks voters to embrace Tom in a completely different way.
"The other problem is that Hollywood has already honored him. Giving Tom an honorary Oscar last year was effectively the industry celebrating his entire career, so there isn't the same urgency among voters to finally give him something. He has already had that huge emotional recognition from the Academy."
The insider noted, "Nobody is saying Tom has suddenly stopped being a major star or that he cannot be nominated. But the combination of mixed reactions, comedy being notoriously difficult at the Oscars, and that honorary award means there isn't a sense that this has to be his year. At this stage, the campaign has a huge amount of ground to recover."
Four Oscar Nominations Have Yet to Bring Competitive Win
The Alejandro G. Iñárritu satire is tracking for disappointing box office numbers.
Cruise has never won a competitive Academy Award despite four nominations. He was nominated for Best Actor for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire, Supporting Actor for Magnolia, and Best Picture as a producer of Top Gun: Maverick.
He received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards last November.
Debra Birnbaum, editor of awards prediction platform Gold Derby, said following a Los Angeles screening: "Despite Tom's full-court PR press, they just weren't jumping on the couch for his performance."
She added: "His odds on GoldDerby.com have tumbled since the embargo (for social media movie reviews) lifted, leaving him a big hole to dig himself out of – he's dropped among our experts and overall, including users, too."
Best Actor Race Remains Highly Competitive
'Gold Derby' analysts dropped his Best Actor ranking down to fourth place.
Cruise is currently behind Oscar tips for Andrew Scott for Elsinore, in which the Irish actor portrays Ian Charleson, who died aged 40 in 1990, as well as John Malkovich for Wild Horse Nine and Matt Damon for The Odyssey.
Birnbaum added: "Tom's now in fourth place, which still gives him a chance of a nomination, but the Best Actor race is the most competitive of all this year."
Dark Satire Marks Major Career Departure
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Prince William and Kate Middleton attended the high-profile movie premiere.
Digger represents an unusual departure for Cruise, whose recent career has been dominated by the Mission: Impossible franchise and Top Gun: Maverick.
The movie instead casts him as a wealthy oil tycoon attempting to repair a global environmental catastrophe he caused, with Cruise disappearing beneath extensive makeup and a fat suit.
Details of Digger have been kept unusually secret ahead of its release, with its filmmakers revealing little beyond Cruise's role as a wealthy oil tycoon confronting an environmental catastrophe he caused.
The secrecy has helped fuel curiosity around the dark satire, which marks a dramatic departure from Cruise's action blockbusters.
