John Goodman Says Critics Hurt Digger Before Its Release

John Goodman said negative talk about Digger before it opened damaged the film’s chances, and that the response hurt him. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he recalled predictions that the movie would earn very little and said such headlines could discourage people from seeing it. He added that he remains proud of the film and enjoyed the six months he spent making it.

The film, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, stars Tom Cruise as an oil tycoon whose rig malfunction in Antarctica threatens Europe with advancing ice. Goodman plays the U.S. president. Digger cost more than $160 million to produce and has earned just over $49 million worldwide. Its U.S. opening brought in $15 million, and its Rotten Tomatoes approval rating is 53 percent. Estimates cited for the film’s losses to Warner Bros. have reached about $245 million.

Goodman said he still cares about how audiences and critics respond to his work, though he described himself as now being over the disappointment. He also pointed to films he made with the Coen brothers, including Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski, which he said found lasting audiences despite initially flopping. Several public figures, among them Neil Young, Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda and Ben Affleck, have defended Digger. Affleck argued that punishing films for taking creative risks could lead to more formulaic movies.