Goodman Defends Tom Cruise's Digger Against Backlash

John Goodman said negative reviews of the Tom Cruise film Digger have hurt the movie, while Ben Affleck criticized the online response.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Film — General

Goodman Defends Tom Cruise's Digger Against Backlash

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John Goodman said negative reviews have hurt Digger, the Tom Cruise film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and suggested its reception could change over time. Ben Affleck separately compared the online backlash to high-school bullying on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

Why it matters

The comments add to a public debate over how reviews and online reaction can shape the commercial fate of a high-budget studio film. Digger's reported budget of more than $160 million makes its box-office performance a closely watched measure for the industry.

Digger has a reported budget of more than $160 million and has grossed $50 million, against a 53% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The extraction does not show whether the film will recoup its production costs.

The players

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise is a long-established Hollywood leading man who stars in Digger as an oil tycoon.

John Goodman

John Goodman is a veteran character actor who plays a fictional US president in Digger and defended the film's reception.

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is an Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker who criticized the online backlash against Digger.

Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Alejandro G. Iñárritu is an acclaimed Mexican director who helmed Digger.

The details

Goodman made the comments on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where Affleck also spoke about the backlash. Digger stars Tom Cruise as an oil tycoon battling a global catastrophe after an accident at a Greenland drilling site, and John Goodman plays a fictional US president in the film.

Article about Goodman's comments published November 7, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

Digger's reported budget of more than $160 million places it among the expensive original films whose commercial results are measured against costs that often exceed their domestic grosses. The debate over its reception reflects how critical and online reaction is increasingly read as a predictor of whether such bets pay off.

Viewers interested in Digger can check theaters and streaming listings for its availability, since the film's commercial performance so far is reported at $50 million gross. Its 53% Rotten Tomatoes rating gives audiences a mixed critical starting point before deciding whether to watch.

The takeaway

Reviews and online reaction can shape a film's reputation, but early critical scores do not always fix a movie's final commercial outcome. Readers weighing a film's reception should consider both critic ratings and audience response over time.