Don’t worry, Tom Cruise, you’re in great company among iconic films that bombed at the box office, only to eventually find their audience as cult classics. Cruise’s latest film, Digger, written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, hasn’t quite drawn the theater crowds expected for an epic about the world’s most powerful man embarking on a frantic mission to prove he’s humanity’s savior before his own disaster destroys everything. Despite a stacked cast featuring Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jesse Plemons, the reported $125 million epic opened to just $8 million domestically and $20 million worldwide.

At a current worldwide total of $35 million, it’s fair to say the box office wasn’t quite saved. Still, box office bumps are hardly unprecedented for eventual classics. While many high-profile stumbles never recover, history shows that some go on to recoup and vastly exceed their original investments.

The 1975 midnight phenomenon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Tim Curry, famously overcame an initial theatrical flop to gross over $120 million since it’s release, against a $1.2 million budget. Similarly, the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski struggled to find its footing during its initial run before turning its $15 million budget into a profitable $48.3 million worldwide victory. Take a look back at a few other major theatrical misfires that went on to become timeless cult classics. DIGGER – 2026 Image Credit: Warner Bros. Released: Oct 2, 2026 (US) Budget:$160M Opening weekend:$8M Gross (US & Canada):$14.4M Gross (World):$35.3M MOTHER!

– 2017 Image Credit: Paramount Pictures Released: Sep 15, 2017 (US) Budget:$30M Opening weekend:$7.5M Gross (US & Canada):$17.8M Gross (World):$44.5M JENNIFER’S BODY – 2009 Image Credit: Doane Gregory/TM/Fox Atomic Released: Sep 18, 2009 (US) Budget:$16M Opening weekend:$6.9M Gross (US & Canada):$16.2M Gross (World):$31.6M SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK – 2008 Image Credit: Sony Pictures Classics Released:Feb 5, 2009 (NL) Budget:$20M Opening weekend:$172.2K Gross (US & Canada):$3.1M Gross (World):$4.7M THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU – 2004 Image Credit: Touchstone Released: Dec 25, 2004 (US) Budget:$50M Opening weekend:$113.1K Gross (US & Canada):$24M Gross (World):$34.8M DONNIE DARKO – 2001 Image Credit: Newmarket Releasing Released: Jan 19, 2001 Budget:$6M Opening weekend:$110.5K Gross (US & Canada):$2.5M Gross (World):$8.6M FIGHT CLUB – 1999 Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Released: Oct 15, 1999 (US) Budget:$63M Opening weekend:$11M Gross (US & Canada):$38M Gross (World):$102.4M THE BIG LEBOWSKI – 1998 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released: Mar 6, 1998 (US) Budget:$15M Opening weekend:$5.5M Gross (US & Canada):$19.5M Gross (World):$48.3M THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION – 1994 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Oct 14, 1994 (US) Budget:$25M Opening weekend:$727.3K Gross (US & Canada):$28.8M Gross (World):$29.4M THE PRINCESS BRIDE – 1987 Image Credit: 20th Century-Fox Film Corp Released: Oct 9, 1987 (US) Budget:$16M Opening weekend:$206.2K Gross (US & Canada):$30.9M Gross (World):$31.1M LABYRINTH – 1986 Image Credit: TriStar Pictures Released:Jun 27, 1986 (US) Budget:$25M Opening weekend:$3.5M Gross (US & Canada):$13.7M Gross (World):$16.1M BRAZIL – 1985 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Dec 18, 1985 (US) Budget:$15M Opening weekend:$30.1K Gross (US & Canada):$9.9M Gross (World):$10M DUNE – 1984 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Dec 14, 1984 (US) Budget:$40M Opening weekend:$6M Gross (US & Canada):$31.4M Gross (World):$31.5M BLADE RUNNER – 1982 Image Credit: Warner Brothers Released: Jun 25, 1982 (US) Budget:$28M Opening weekend:$6.2M Gross (US & Canada):$32.9M Gross (World):$41.8M THE THING – 1982 Image Credit: Universal Released:Jun 25, 1982 (US) Budget:$15M Opening weekend:$3.1M Gross (US & Canada):$20.1M Gross (World):$20.9M THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – 1975 Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Released: Sep 29, 1975 (US) Budget:$1.2M Opening weekend:$135K Gross (US & Canada):$115.7M Gross (World):$120.2M WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – 1971 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Jun 30, 1971 (US) Budget:$3M Opening weekend:$526.6K Gross (US & Canada):$2.6M Gross (World):$2.7M THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER – 1955 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Jul 27, 1955 (US) Budget:$795K Opening Weekend:$6,233 Gross (World):$12.8K IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – 1946 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released: Jan 7, 1947 (US) Budget:$3.2M Opening weekend:$44K Gross (US & Canada):$1.5M Gross (World):$11.5M CITIZEN KANE – 1941 Image Credit: Everett Collection Released:Sep 5, 1941 (US) Budget:$839.7K Opening Weekend: $77,134 Gross (US & Canada):$1.9M Gross (World):$2M