Hollywood’s upcoming black comedy Digger has quietly assembled a cast that reads like an awards-season guest list, and one name is drawing particular attention. House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy is officially part of the film, sharing screen space with Tom Cruise, whose character sits at the center of a bizarre, high-stakes story about a powerful man trying to prove he can save humanity from a disaster he helped unleash.
Directed by Academy Award winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the project already carries the weight of a serious cinematic pedigree. Warner Bros. is backing the production with a reported $125 million budget.
Emma D’Arcy joins Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s ambitious ensemble comedy
The upcoming film Digger marks a major addition to D’Arcy’s growing Hollywood presence. Known widely for portraying Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon, D’Arcy now joins a project led by Cruise and directed by Iñárritu, the filmmaker behind The Revenant.
Development of the film began in February 2024, when it was revealed that Iñárritu would direct his first English-language movie since The Revenant. The screenplay was written by Iñárritu alongside Sabina Berman, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Nicolás Giacobone, bringing together a writing team with strong dramatic credentials.
Soon after, Cruise secured the lead role of Digger Rockwell following a meeting with the director. The film is being produced by Legendary Pictures, with Warner Bros. distributing the project globally. Casting expanded throughout 2024 and early 2025. Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, and Sophie Wilde joined the ensemble first. Riz Ahmed entered negotiations soon after, and the next wave of announcements confirmed D’Arcy, Robert John Burke, and Burn Gorman as part of the cast.
The premise centers on a global figure racing to convince the world that he can save humanity from a catastrophic crisis he triggered himself. Cruise’s character reportedly begins the story as a Texan oil tycoon whose drilling operation sparks a disaster that threatens the planet. Believing destiny has chosen him as the savior, he launches a frantic and often absurd mission to correct the damage.
Release date and streaming details of Digger
Production began in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2024, and continued for nearly six months under the working title Judy. Filming briefly paused in March 2025 after Goodman suffered a minor hip injury that required hospitalization, though the actor returned quickly and production resumed without major delays.
The project wrapped on May 3, 2025, and later that month Iñárritu confirmed during an interview that the movie would lean heavily into comedy. Digger is scheduled to release in IMAX theaters across the United States on October 2, 2026, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Streaming details have not been officially announced yet. However, Warner Bros. releases typically move to Max (formerly HBO Max) after their theatrical run, so viewers may eventually see the film land there following its cinema window.