Even during the most recent Oscar season, back in January and February, I remember Oscar prognosticators talking about Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger and how Tom Cruise would likely be a major Oscar contender for the “gonzo” role. Then, in the past month, the trailers started rolling out and people were like “wait, is this for real?” The film might have a tone problem, or maybe the trailers are just cut poorly, I don’t know. But then something else started happening once the final trailer was released last week: an internet conspiracy began brewing that the trailers seemed so weirdly edited because the studio was trying to keep a lid on the idea/fact that Digger is a musical, and that Tom Cruise is breaking out into song in nearly every scene. Hilariously, that internet conspiracy made the studio panic and Variety got a denial: Digger is not a musical.

Internet sleuths were convinced this week that Tom Cruise’s upcoming movie “Digger” is a secret musical, but unfortunately that isn’t the case.

Variety spoke with two sources familiar with the production, who said “Digger” is not a movie musical, but both were amused by the sleuthing.

The rumor started online after the film’s final trailer was released, and in certain shots it looked like Cruise — wearing nearly unrecognizable makeup and prosthetics for the role — was on a rotating platform often used in stage productions. In other shots, background actors appeared to have their mouths open while singing. The theory quickly spread on social media.

“My favorite conspiracy theory right now is that Digger is secretly a musical and they’re desperately trying to hide it in the marketing,” author Jason Pargin wrote on X on Sept. 10.

“Digger” has not been widely screened for press yet, and is set to be released on Oct. 2.

Cruise said he first latched on to the project when director Alejandro G. Iñárritu read him the script aloud over several days.

“I’ve always done that,” Cruise said in an interview with Empire. “I want the writer to read me his idea, because then I can see where we’re going. We’re exploring rhythms, and I’m feeling the world. I’m literally an audience. I want to hear his voice. I want to understand, and see the world the way he sees it.”

[From Variety]

Boo!! They should have let this rumor percolate for several more weeks, it was quite amusing. Because once you get it in your head, the jumpy edits and the weird tone of the trailers start to make sense if they’re trying to hide the musical nature. Anyway, one of the things that’s always pissed me off the most about Tom Cruise is that he actually is a really gifted actor. I don’t think Digger is it though. Like, sure, maybe he’ll get Oscar-nominated. But I doubt he’ll win. The Academy already gave him an honorary Oscar last year anyway.

Photos, poster & screencaps courtesy of Warner Bros/Digger.