Digger trailer: Tom Cruise ditches death-defying action for his most unrecognisable role yet

Warner Bros. has released the first full trailer for Digger, offering audiences their clearest look yet at Tom Cruise's latest film and showcasing the Hollywood star in a role unlike anything he has taken on in recent years.

Digger trailer out

Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the satirical comedy-drama casts Cruise as Digger Rockwell, a powerful billionaire oil magnate whose own actions threaten to trigger a global ecological catastrophe.

The trailer immediately stands apart from Cruise's recent filmography. Gone are the high-speed motorcycle chases, gravity-defying stunts, fighter jets and globe-trotting espionage that have come to define the Mission: Impossible and Top Gun star.

Instead, Digger places him beneath extensive prosthetics, complete with thinning white hair, a receding hairline, weathered features, a protruding stomach and a distinctive Southern accent, making him almost impossible to recognise.

Rather than relying on elaborate action sequences or CGI spectacle, the trailer leans into character, satire and psychological tension. Cruise's Digger Rockwell is portrayed as "the most powerful man in the world", racing to convince humanity that he can save the planet before the disaster he unleashed destroys it.

The footage blends dark humour with escalating global crisis, hinting at a story that examines corporate power, political influence and environmental collapse.

The project represents a notable shift for Cruise, who has spent much of the past decade fronting large-scale action franchises built around practical stunt work and physically demanding set pieces. Digger instead sees the actor disappear into a heavily crafted character performance, recalling rare against-type roles that have punctuated his career while embracing a more dramatic and satirical register.

Iñárritu, whose previous films include Birdman and The Revenant, directs an ensemble cast featuring Sandra Hüller, Riz Ahmed, Jesse Plemons, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma D'Arcy, Sophie Wilde, Robert John Burke, Burn Gorman and Pip Torrens.

The trailer has already generated widespread discussion online, with much of the attention focused on Cruise's dramatic physical transformation and willingness to move away from the blockbuster persona that has defined his recent career. With Digger set for a theatrical release on 2 October, the film is shaping up to be one of the year's most anticipated releases and one of Cruise's boldest acting gambles in decades.