Ed Ruscha’s ‘Digger’ Poster Revealed at LACMA Ahead of Tom…

The pop‑art legend revealed his ice‑shelf‑centric design at LACMA, hinting at the film’s climate‑satire edge ahead of its Friday debut.

Los Angeles – Pop‑art icon Ed Ruscha stepped onto the LACMA stage on Sunday to showcase his first‑look poster for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s upcoming black comedy Digger.

The unveiling was a low‑key brunch in the museum’s yet‑to‑open restaurant, attended by Iñárritu, Cruise, co‑stars John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg and Ross Hatt, plus LACMA chief Michael Govan.

Ruscha’s work, true to his style, is a slab of slate‑gray with a beige border, dominated by an ice shelf and punctuated by stark phrases such as “A Man. A Plan. A Meltdown.” and “Comedy equals tragedy plus time.”

“Well, the movie blew my hair back,” Ruscha laughed, adding that the film also “parted it down the middle, but it’s grown back.” The line drew chuckles from the crowd, who were already aware that Digger is a satirical take on an oil‑tycoon’s Greenland drilling disaster that triggers a floating ice shelf and a global crisis.

Iñárritu, speaking from Mexico City a day before the event, said the poster captures the film’s core conflict: “The billing is nature. We are human beings, we are in a war against nature.” He praised Ruscha’s ability to convey that battle with “one or two words” and a single visual element.

The collaboration is not the first crossing of their creative paths. Iñárritu first met Ruscha 24 years ago when he tried to cast the artist as a gynecologist in 21 Grams – a plan that fell through due to scheduling. Their mutual admiration finally materialised in this poster, proof of LACMA’s annual Art + Film gala, now in its 15th year, which aims to fuse visual art and cinema.

Both men have been honoured at the gala before – Ruscha in 2012 alongside Stanley Kubrick, Iñárritu in 2015 with James Turrell – underscoring the museum’s role as a bridge between the two worlds.

Digger has been in the making for nine years, Iñárritu told reporters, evolving alongside global conversations about climate change. He described the film as “a love letter for the young generation” and “a warning, a wake‑up call, but you can have fun about it because humor gives us space to recognise the absurdity.”

Early screenings have yielded mixed reviews, with critics split on the balance of satire and seriousness. The poster’s kaleidoscopic text, Ruscha said, mirrors the film’s “running‑around ideas” and “kaleidoscopic” message.

The movie opens this Friday, positioning itself as a darkly comic, timely commentary on humanity’s clash with nature. Whether the striking poster will translate into box‑office traction remains to be seen, but the buzz around the LACMA reveal suggests the visual will stick in audiences’ minds.

What to watch: the film’s release on Friday, the public’s reaction to its climate narrative, and whether the poster’s stark imagery will become an iconic piece of modern cinema marketing.

Digger runs for 115 minutes and is distributed by Paramount Pictures. The poster will be displayed at LACMA’s new restaurant and will feature in the museum’s upcoming Art + Film catalogue.