(Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)
Tom Cruise’s comedy-drama "The Digger" hit theaters worldwide last week, drawing sharply divided reviews and disappointing box office numbers. Despite a production budget reportedly approaching $180 million, the film earned just $20 million globally in its opening weekend, with industry observers now predicting that it may not even reach $100 million by the end of its run. Cruise and writer-director Alejandro González Iñárritu, however, appeared ready to take an optimistic view. In a video interview recorded before the film’s release, the pair addressed the possibility of a box office disaster and polarized reception.
During an appearance on the "On Film…With Kevin McCarthy" podcast, Cruise and Iñárritu pointed to "Blade Runner." Although it is now widely celebrated as a cinematic masterpiece, the film initially struggled with poor reviews and failed to recoup its budget during its original theatrical run.
"Those films were ahead of their time," Cruise said. "You just hope to make a film that can stand the test of time. So many things can happen during a movie’s opening weekend. I’m grateful that I released films in the ’80s and ’90s, when movies could stay in theaters for a year. Films like "Rain Man" and "Born on the Fourth of July" played for an entire year. How do I make movies that can stand the test of time and continue to evolve? I really feel that "The Digger" is one of those films." Cruise added, "When I make a movie, I’m not thinking about how much it needs to earn on opening weekend. I’m hoping we can create something that lasts."
(Image courtesy of The New York Times)
In a separate interview with The New York Times, Iñárritu was asked whether he worried that audiences might not understand what the story was trying to convey. "I think this is absolutely an unconventional film, and it’s very provocative toward the audience," he responded. "To me, that’s what cinema is supposed to do: start a conversation. Personally, I prefer films that try to tell me something in a different way. Some people want more straightforward storytelling, and that’s fine, but cinema isn’t ice cream. Honestly, we expected this kind of reaction."
via： The New York Times