Overview
- John Goodman said on Nov. 2 that early negative buzz and headlines “killed” Digger’s chances before wide release and that the response gave people reason to avoid the film.
- Digger opened in early October to a roughly $8 million domestic debut and about $49 million worldwide while holding a mixed 53% critics score and a stronger 77% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Reported production and marketing costs pushed the film’s theatrical break-even into the $300 million range, and trade estimates now put Warner Bros.’s likely losses in the high tens to low hundreds of millions.
- Studio and exhibitor reactions included scaled‑back premium bookings and marketing that directly addressed the polarized reviews as an effort to encourage viewers to “decide for yourself.”
- High-profile filmmakers and actors publicly defended the movie, and Goodman said he is proud of the work and expects it could find an audience over time through reevaluation and home release.