Critics are tipping an Oscar for Digger — just not for Tom Cruise
Oscar buzz around Digger is building behind a different face — with one outlet urging Warner Bros. to launch a campaign for the standout.
Let’s not beat about the bush: Digger is just about as Oscar-bait as it gets this year, and you’d expect the awards chatter to revolve around Tom Cruise—action movie royalty, does a bit of “serious acting”, Academy loves a story like that. But here’s the twist: a load of critics aren’t putting their bets on Cruise at all. Instead, the buzz is picking up fast for Riz Ahmed, who plays Dr. Ganesh, and some reviewers are properly throwing their weight behind him for Best Supporting Actor.
Cruise vs Ahmed – Where Critics Stand
So, here’s how it’s playing out: Fangirlish have come out swinging, telling Warner Bros. they should campaign for an Oscar for Ahmed. They reckon he’s the one whose "powerful, hopeful, intense performance" sticks with you after the credits roll, and they even highlight how he goes "toe to toe" with Cruise whenever they share the screen. On the other hand, outlets like Collider are sticking to the party line and pushing Cruise’s chances. Their review’s even called 'Tom Cruise Might Finally Win That Oscar for Digger', not beating around the bush there.
Fangirlish puts it plainly: "Ahmed who delivers a powerful, hopeful, intense performance that is unforgettable."
Variety’s chimed in as well—yes, the same Variety that likes to weigh in early—and their angle is that Ahmed brings a spark to the film and essentially lifts everything when he’s on. NME gives Ahmed high marks ("Riz Ahmed is great. The Cruise performance is solid"), but stops short of all the Oscar stumping. Mama’s Geeky is keen as well, calling both leads "absolutely brilliant" even though they say the film itself might divide the room.
Read more: Warner Bros. has answered the bad reviews for Tom Cruise's Digger with a three-word ad
The Guardian’s a bit harsher about the script—if you want a proper moan about screenplay structure, that’s the review for you—but even they note that Ahmed is one of several impressive actors who don’t get enough material to chew on. According to them, Cruise, Ahmed, John Goodman and Sandra Hüller are all a bit "underdeveloped or wasted", which, to be fair, is far from rare in big ensemble awards hopefuls.
What the Film’s Actually About
If you were wondering where all this acting talk is coming from, here’s the gist: Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a moneyed oil baron whose operation triggers a very public environmental disaster. Ahmed’s Dr. Ganesh is the scientist caught in the aftermath—so you’ve got lots of scenes with suits, desperate stares, and blame-shifting, as per tradition.
Directing duty falls to Alejandro González Iñárritu—yes, the Oscar-hauler himself—working off a script he co-wrote alongside Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone and Sabina Berman.
Digger arrives in cinemas on 2 October, 2026.
If you’re into the numbers, early critical response to Digger has been distinctly mixed: Rotten Tomatoes currently sits at 54% on the Tomatometer, so it’s not exactly lighting the world on fire with universal acclaim, but that does tend to make award-season debates a bit more fun.