Tom Cruise's latest film arrived in London with considerably more than a conventional red-carpet welcome. The actor's new collaboration with Oscar-winning filmmaker Alejandro G Iñárritu brought together Hollywood stars, members of the British royal family and the Beckham family for an unusually high-profile evening.
The event also marked the first public unveiling of a film that has been kept remarkably secretive ahead of its release. Cruise plays the eccentric Digger Rockwell, while the ensemble includes Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg, Emma D'Arcy and Sophie Wilde.
The world premiere of Digger was held at London's ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on Tuesday as the Royal Film Performance, with Prince William and Princess Kate among the guests. Cruise and Iñárritu met the royal couple on the red carpet before joining them for the screening.
The premiere also drew David Beckham and his sons Romeo and Cruz, along with Salma Hayek and Jodie Turner-Smith. Beckham and his sons later posed with William and Kate, while Cruise reunited with the Prince and Princess of Wales after their appearance together at the UK premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.
For Cruise, Digger represents a significant departure from the larger-than-life action roles that have dominated much of his recent career. Describing his character, the actor called Digger Rockwell “totally outrageous” and said he had never encountered a character or read a film like this before. He also revealed that one of the film's biggest acting challenges was a 10-minute monologue filmed in a single take.
The film follows Rockwell, described as the world's most powerful man, as he attempts to prove that he can save humanity after triggering an ecological disaster. The fallout threatens to push the world towards nuclear war, although the makers have deliberately kept much of the plot under wraps. Cruise described the story as an exploration of “power and greed” alongside responsibility and irresponsibility.
Sandra Hüller, who stars alongside Cruise, praised his performance, saying that the actor's 46 years of experience appeared to have come together in the character. The cast has also spoken about Iñárritu's highly detailed filmmaking process, with the director comparing the making of the film to painting and Emma D'Arcy describing its emphasis on rhythm and musicality.
Digger marks Iñárritu's return to English-language filmmaking following The Revenant. The film was shot and completed in the UK, making the Royal Film Performance particularly significant for the filmmaker and Cruise. Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures are releasing the film theatrically, with its global rollout beginning on September 30 and its UK and US release scheduled for October 2.