Tom Cruise surprises fans with his dance in Alejandro G Iñárritu’s Digger: Watch teaser
Tom Cruise is doing something unfamiliar again. This time, he is not performing a high-altitude jump or a cockpit roll. This time, the Hollywood icon is dancing with a shovel in his hands.
The first teaser for Digger, Cruise’s upcoming collaboration with Alejandro G Iñárritu, arrived on Thursday, offering a brief but unusual look at a project that appears deliberately hard to pin down. The promo is a sharp turn from the actor’s recent screen persona.
Tom Cruise dances in the new Digger teaser
The footage is short and deliberately opaque. Cruise appears altered, possibly through prosthetics, moving awkwardly and rhythmically at the same time. There is no dialogue, no clear setting or story to hold onto yet.
The film has been described by Iñárritu as a “comedy of catastrophic proportions,” a phrase he used earlier this year while speaking about the project to The Hollywood Reporter. He also called it “brutal,” “wild,” and “insane,” adding that it is meant to be funny, unsettling, and visually striking all at once.
Plot details remain tightly guarded. Reports from Variety have suggested Cruise plays a man attempting to convince others he can save humanity before an impending disaster, but nothing has been officially confirmed.
Tom Cruise steps away from the action mold in Digger
For Cruise, Digger marks a noticeable departure. Over the past decade, his output has been dominated by physically demanding action roles like the Mission: Impossible films, Top Gun: Maverick, and Jack Reacher, among others. However, this teaser points elsewhere. There are no visible stunts, no weapons, no spectacle-driven choreography. Instead, the focus is on physical presence and movement, presented without context. It feels closer to character work than endurance testing.
Tom Cruise starrer Digger production details
The screenplay was written by Iñárritu alongside his Birdman collaborators Alexander Dinelaris and Nicolás Giacobone, with playwright Sabina Berman also credited. The film was shot on 35mm VistaVision, a technical choice that signals scale, even if the teaser keeps that scale hidden.
The cast is extensive, as reported by Variety. It includes Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Emma D’Arcy, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Sophie Wilde.
Digger is scheduled for release in October 2026.
