Tom Cruise used the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to promote his upcoming film “Digger,” making a special appearance both before the championship match and in a series of soccer-themed promotional teasers released ahead of the event.
Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, a fictional Southern oil baron whose actions trigger a massive environmental catastrophe in the dark comedy directed by Academy Award winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
In one teaser released by Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, Cruise appears in character wearing prosthetic makeup, a burgundy suit and cowboy hat while performing soccer ball tricks with the Adidas Trionda.
“You wanna know what separates a legend from everybody else? Well, it ain’t luck, it ain’t speed. It’s control,” Cruise says in character.
A second teaser features Cruise as himself before transitioning to Digger, with the actor reflecting on the tournament’s 48 participating nations, 104 matches and eventual champion before opening a door that leads onto a soccer field.
The World Cup campaign served as a promotional launch for the film, which follows Digger Rockwell as he attempts to convince the world he can save humanity from the disaster he unleashed.
The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde.
Iñárritu directed, co-produced and co-wrote the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone and Sabina Berman. Cruise also serves as a producer.
“Digger” is scheduled for release in North American theaters and IMAX on Oct. 2, 2026, with an international rollout beginning Sept. 30.