Tom Cruise’s Digger has stumbled out of the gate, opening to just $8 million globally — a far cry from the blockbuster momentum it was expected to generate. The film, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and backed by a star-studded pedigree, has drawn a wave of mixed reactions, with some critics calling it a 'hate letter to life, cinema, art, and its own audience.' Others have questioned whether its surreal tone and fragmented narrative were even meant to make sense. The confusion isn’t limited to audiences: even early buzz around the film was muddled, with marketing that leaned into ambiguity rather than clarity. Yet amid the backlash, two towering figures in world cinema have stepped forward to defend it. Guillermo del Toro, known for his reverence of cinematic outliers, has turned his X feed into a showcase for Digger, reposting positive takes and citing films once dismissed, like The Counselor and King of Comedy. That later found acclaim. In one post, he wrote: “Funny, I go into the platform and without even scrolling down, these are popping at the top of my timeline… So… I will just keep posting them. Tune in or drop out.” Alfonso Cuarón took a different tack, sharing historical parallels between Digger and films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, and Under the Skin, all of which were harshly received upon release before being re-evaluated as landmarks. Whether this high-profile advocacy will shift public perception remains uncertain. For now, the film sits in limbo: commercially underperforming, critically fractured, but already being framed as a potential cult classic. The real test won’t be how much it earns on opening weekend. It’ll be how long it lingers in the conversation after the credits roll.