John Goodman Says Harsh Reviews Doomed ‘Digger’ Before It Even Opened

Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s ‘Digger’ was one of the most anticipated films of the fall. The dark comedy stars Tom Cruise as an oil tycoon facing a global catastrophe after a rig in Antarctica malfunctions, with Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, and Sophie Wilde also in the cast.

Things didn’t go to plan once the reviews arrived. Critics were split, leaving the film at 53% on Rotten Tomatoes, and the box office results that followed were even more painful for Warner Bros.

Now one of the film’s stars is speaking out. In an appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, reported by Variety, Goodman said the early critical reaction killed the film before it even opened.

Goodman, who plays the President of the United States in ‘Digger’, admitted the negative buzz affected him. He said it hurt, and when asked whether he cares about how a film is received, he said that unfortunately, he does.

The actor still stands behind the project. Goodman said he is proud of the film and had a ball making it. Goodman also put the situation in perspective with his own career. He noted that everything he made with the Coen Brothers flopped at first, suggesting that a film’s initial reception doesn’t always decide its legacy.

John Goodman opened up about how the negative reviews for Digger HURT him, saying critics practically KILLED the movie before it even opened, but he still hopes it finds an audience over time like The Big Lebowski and Speed Racer 👀 “Yeah, it hurt. They kind of killed us before we opened. ‘This will only make $5,’ and it’s a good reason for people to avoid it. I’m proud of it, and I had a ball doing it.”

— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) November 2, 2026

His comments add to a growing list of people defending the film. Anne Hathaway, Neil Young and Mandy Patinkin have all publicly supported ‘Digger’, and Ben Affleck criticized the public bashing of the film during his own appearance on the same podcast.

Cruise has also stood by the film. After its disappointing opening weekend, he said he was proud of what the team created. The numbers have been hard to ignore. ‘Digger’ opened to roughly $20 million worldwide, the weakest debut for a Cruise film in nearly 2 decades, and the last time one of his films opened lower was ‘Lions for Lambs’ in 2007.

Diggin’ it. Watch the new #DiggerMovie trailer. DIGGER only in theaters October 2. https://t.co/QLhmfXpyW4

— Digger (@diggerthemovie) July 18, 2026

Variety reports that the film had not passed $50 million worldwide after a month in theaters. Reports put the production budget anywhere from $125 million to more than $160 million, with about $100 million more spent on marketing.

According to Variety, the film needed an estimated $350 million to break even. Warner Bros. reportedly lost around $250 million on the project. ‘Digger’ has become one of the studio’s biggest disappointments in a tough year. SlashFilm listed it alongside ‘The Bride!’, ‘Supergirl’ and ‘The End of Oak Street’ as releases that failed to deliver.

The studio is now hoping upcoming releases can turn things around. ‘The Cat in the Hat’ opens this weekend, though recent tracking has been uneven. Part of the challenge may have been expectations. Some coverage noted that ‘Digger’ goes in a different direction than its premise and marketing suggested, which may have surprised audiences expecting a more traditional Cruise blockbuster.

Iñárritu has also addressed the harsh reviews, and the film’s defenders have praised its ambition. Whether it finds a second life on home video and streaming, the way Goodman’s Coen Brothers films once did, remains to be seen.

For now, Goodman’s candid comments offer a rare look at how much early reviews can shape a film’s fate. They also show how hard it can be for the people involved to watch a project they love struggle.

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