# Tom Cruise's Digger gets strong early reviews after London premiere

Published 2026-09-23 20:13:36

> Tom Cruise's satirical black comedy Digger drew mostly glowing early reactions after its world premiere in London, where Prince William and Kate Middleton joined the star ahead of the film's October 2 release.

Tom Cruise's next big swing has finally been seen by an audience. Digger, the satirical black comedy directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, held its world premiere in London this week, and the first wave of reactions quickly took over X. The film is still a few weeks away from screens, with the release set for October 2.

The early word from critics and film writers who caught the premiere is largely glowing, reports say. Several described it as loud, chaotic and built for the biggest screen a viewer can find, with one calling it the kind of film that pays off on a second watch. More than one urged fans to skip the trailers and walk in knowing as little as possible.

Cruise himself draws the loudest praise. Reviewers called this his most daring swing yet and a full tour de force turn, and one reportedly rated it his strongest work in decades. Riz Ahmed was singled out as a standout, and the ensemble was credited for committing completely to the tone.

The reaction is not unanimous. Some writers felt the sociopolitical satire only partly lands, praising the set design, the sound design and the cast while calling the film an eccentric and occasionally heavy curio. Others said it does not connect every time, but that it is brilliant when it does.

The premiere itself was held at Leicester Square in central London on Tuesday, and it pulled in the royals. Prince William, who serves as president of BAFTA, attended with Kate Middleton, and reports say she wore Princess Diana's pearl drop earrings along with the Queen Mother's amethyst sautoir necklace, a piece that had reportedly not been seen in public since 2012. It was Cruise's first meeting with the couple since he invited them to the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in 2022.

In the film, Cruise plays an oil tycoon billed as the most powerful man on Earth, who then has to prove he can save humanity after his own company triggers an ecological disaster. Alongside him the cast includes John Goodman, Sandra Huller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Emma D'Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde, with Warner Bros Pictures handling the United States release. Digger arrives on October 2 and will share the window with Verity.

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Source: https://clapnumber.com/news/tom-cruises-digger-gets-strong-early-reviews-after-london-premiere
Retrieved: 2026-09-23