Tom Cruise Shows Off Gray Hair, Wrinkles, and a Gut in 'Digger' and Fans Barely Recognize Him
Tom Cruise may be known for his dashing good looks, but he'll be almost unrecognizable in Alejandro G. Iñárritu‘s upcoming film, Digger.
Unveiled on Tuesday at CinemaCon, Cruise, who is known for groundbreaking films ranging from Top Gun and Jerry Maguire to Magnolia and Mission: Impossible, presented the first look at his character, Digger Rockwell. The Hollywood Reporter describes the unusual character as "the billionaire executive of a major company causing an environmental disaster via a methane leak that is threatening to displace millions of people." In the footage unveiled, Cruise's character lurks around his mansion as he nurses his sick cat.
John Goodman also stars in the film as the President of the United States, while Sandra Huller, Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde, and Emma D'Arcy also appear in the comedy.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu Couldn't Believe Cruise's Transformation
Iñárritu, who previously directed acclaimed films like Birdman and The Revenant, was shocked by Cruise's transformation into the title character.
"Watching Tom Cruise becoming Digger Rockwell, I was not prepared for that," he told the audience, noting that he was well aware that Cruise was "fearless" from his stunt work, but was blown away by his "embodying this character, this is another kind of fearless… this role could be his most challenging, high-wire act."
Cruise Thanked the Movie Theater Owners
A die-hard advocate for movie theaters and keeping them alive, Cruise proudly addresses the CinemaCon audience, which is largely made up of cinema owners and Hollywood studios.
"I want to thank you all for everything you do," he shared, adding, "we're up 23 percent so far" at the box office in 2026, THR continued. "My film family, you know I'm here for you, and I love you," Cruise said.
The screen icon also took to Twitter/X to express his gratitude and excitement for the upcoming project, which is scheduled for release in October.
"We cannot wait to share this film with the world in October and to be part of what is going to be such a special year at the movies!" Cruise said.
We cannot wait to share this film with the world in October and to be part of what is going to be such a special year at the movies!
— Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) April 15, 2026
3/3 pic.twitter.com/lCPW9LhSwu
Related: Steven Spielberg Reveals Tom Cruise's Surprising Set Ritual
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 3:15 PM.