# Tom Cruise Plays Unheroic Role in 'Digger'

> Tom Cruise stars as a world's richest man who fails to save the planet in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Digger'.
- Title: Tom Cruise Plays Unheroic Role in 'Digger' · Collider
- Summary: Tom Cruise stars as a world's richest man who fails to save the planet in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 'Digger'. Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a…
- Keywords: tom cruise, digger, alejandro gonzalez inarritu, digger rockwell, oil companies, apocalypse, movie roles, hollywood, filmography, entertainment, culture, Tom
- Source: Collider — https://collider.com/tom-cruise-digger-role-not-hero-mission-impossible-top-gun
- Author: Conor Sheeran
- Published: 2026-10-08T03:03:12+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: tom cruise, digger, alejandro gonzalez inarritu, digger rockwell, oil companies, apocalypse, movie roles, hollywood, filmography, entertainment, culture
## Tom Cruise's New Role
Tom Cruise stars in Digger as Digger Rockwell, the world's richest man who inadvertently triggered the apocalypse.
## Digger's Mission
Digger must fix the planet's problems but believes money and influence will solve the crisis without addressing its root causes.
## Digger's Approach
Digger focuses on personal gain rather than global consequences, asking 'What's in it for me?' instead of fixing the world.

> What's in it for me?
## Cruise's Performance
Cruise portrays Digger with a Southern accent and Texan oilman persona, delivering a monologue that could place him among early Oscar contenders.
## Digger's Contrast
Unlike Cruise's heroic roles in Mission: Impossible and Top Gun, Digger acknowledges his role in the crisis but seeks personal benefit over global solutions.
## Critical Reception
Reviews for Digger have been mixed, with box office returns worse than expected despite Cruise's compelling performance.
## Digger's Impact
Digger shows Cruise's potential to play against type, highlighting his unexplored range beyond heroic roles.
## What Happens Next
Digger's failure challenges Cruise's long-standing image as a hero, offering a new dimension to his filmography.
## Key takeaway

Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a fictional oil magnate who fails to prevent an apocalypse, marking a departure from his heroic roles.