Amazon MGM’s Verity led the North American box office with an estimated $32.6 million opening weekend, while Warner Bros.’ Digger, starring Tom Cruise, opened in fifth place with $8 million.
The figures cover 2–4 October and were reported on Sunday. They mark sharply different starts for two prominent releases, just before Paramount Skydance’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to close.
Verity also earned an estimated $30 million internationally, bringing its worldwide opening to $62.6 million. Digger collected about $12 million overseas for a $20 million global start.
These are opening-weekend estimates, rather than final earnings. They provide an early indication of demand but do not establish either film’s eventual profit or loss.
Verity takes the lead
Directed by Michael Showalter, Verity adapts Colleen Hoover’s novel and stars Dakota Johnson, Anne Hathaway and Josh Hartnett.
Johnson plays a writer hired to continue a book series for an author who can no longer complete it herself. The psychological thriller gives Amazon MGM another theatrical release built around an established literary property.
According to Boxoffice Pro, Verity opened across 3,510 North American cinema locations. Its international launch covered 70 markets, with the publication reporting a $4.5 million opening in the UK.
Across the wider North American market, Boxoffice Pro estimated weekend ticket sales of about $99 million, roughly 19% above the corresponding weekend in 2025.
That UK result is a direct point of relevance for British audiences. The North American ranking should not, however, be presented as a worldwide chart or an African box-office result: each territory has its own release schedule and audience.
The film’s commercial opening also differs from its audience response. TheWrap reported that Verity received a C+ CinemaScore, showing that a first-place debut does not necessarily mean strong enthusiasm among opening-night viewers.
Digger faces a difficult start
Digger is an original film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, with Cruise leading a cast that includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons.
Warner Bros.’ official synopsis describes a powerful man trying to present himself as humanity’s saviour while confronting a disaster he has unleashed. The film was shot in VistaVision and released in North American cinemas and IMAX on 2 October, with international releases beginning on 30 September.
Its financial challenge is the scale of its opening relative to its reported cost.
The Associated Press reported a production budget of at least $125 million. Published estimates differ on the higher figure, so there is no sound basis for treating one larger number as a settled total.
TheWrap also reported a C+ CinemaScore for Digger. Together with the opening receipts, that suggests the film will need sustained attendance to improve its position. It does not prove that its audience has already disappeared.
Box Office Mojo’s weekend chart places Digger behind Verity, Resident Evil, Heart of the Beast, and Primetime. Its $8 million opening came from 3,321 locations, confirming that the weak start followed a broad release rather than a small initial rollout.
Merger expected on 6 October
The timing adds significance for Warner Bros., whose parent company is approaching a change of ownership.
In a joint announcement published on 30 September, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery said their merger was expected to close on Tuesday, 6 October, subject to customary closing conditions.
As of Monday morning, that is an anticipated completion date. The announcement does not mean the transaction has already closed.
The companies operate across film, television, streaming, and other entertainment businesses. Their combination therefore extends well beyond the performance of one cinema release.
Digger’s opening may become part of the debate over future film investment. But it would be premature to conclude that the new owners will stop backing original stories, change particular release plans, or make specific staffing decisions because of this result.
What the figures can tell us
Box-office receipts measure ticket sales, not the money a studio keeps. Cinemas retain part of that revenue, while marketing, distribution, and other costs affect the final financial outcome.
A production budget and a worldwide opening gross are therefore not directly interchangeable measures. Simply subtracting one from the other cannot establish a film’s loss.
For Verity, the next test is how well attendance holds after its initial audience has seen it. For Digger, the question is whether later cinema business and other revenue can substantially improve a weak start.
Updated receipts, subsequent weekends, and confirmation of the merger’s completion will provide firmer answers than predictions based on the opening alone.
