Alejandro G. Iñárritu Movie Digger Exhausts With Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise stars as an oil tycoon facing an ecological disaster in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s new satirical film “Digger,” which opens in theaters on Oct. 1, the Seattle Times reported. The 128-minute R-rated movie features Cruise in heavy prosthetics alongside Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons.

Tom Cruise Transforms for Climate Satire

At the heart of “Digger” is stunt casting featuring Tom Cruise as oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, recognized as the world’s most powerful man. Cruise appears unrecognizable behind sparse gray hair, a fat suit, facial prosthetics, and a shouty Texas-ish drawl, wandering his mansion in silk pajamas and cowboy boots. In the film’s early scenes, Rockwell realizes his company is responsible for an ecological disaster that will soon take an enormous human toll, triggered by a massive ice shelf quickly named Judy.

The film was directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu from a screenplay written by Iñárritu, Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman. Emmanuel Lubezki serves as the cinematographer, bringing a visual style similar to Iñárritu’s film “Birdman,” though “Digger” leans into satire and features mirrored names between its main characters, Digger and Riggan.

John Goodman and Riz Ahmed Join the Cast

Alongside Cruise, the cast includes a roster of shouting characters trying to manage the crisis, such as the president of the United States played by a bellowing John Goodman, vice president Michael Stuhlbarg, a scientist and adviser played by Riz Ahmed, and a wild-eyed head of the military played by Robert John Burke. Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller of “Anatomy of a Fall” also appears in the cast, though she has perhaps a dozen lines.

The production carries an R rating for pervasive language and runs 128 minutes.

Theater Openings on Oct. 1

“Digger” opens at multiple theaters on Oct. 1.