Tom Cruise Honoured with Oscar and Announces New Comedy Film Digger

Hollywood Icon Receives Honorary Academy Award

Tom Cruise received an honorary Oscar on Sunday night at the 16th Governors Awards in Los Angeles, marking a significant milestone in his illustrious career. During his acceptance speech, the actor declared, “Making films is not what I do, it is who I am,” reflecting his lifelong dedication to cinema. Cruise has received four previous Oscar nominations in his career, earning best actor nods for 1990’s “Born on the Fourth of July” and 1997’s “Jerry Maguire,” a best supporting actor nod for his role in 2000’s “Magnolia,” and a best picture nod for his work as a producer on 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The Significance of the Honorary Award

Upon accepting the award, Cruise gave an emotional speech paying tribute to all of the people who make films possible, as well as the unifying power of cinema. The Hollywood star spoke passionately about how cinema has shaped his life since childhood, explaining how “no matter where we come from, in that theater, we laugh together, we feel together, we hope together, and that is the power of this art form.” This recognition celebrates Cruise’s extraordinary contribution to motion picture arts and his decades-long commitment to delivering spectacular theatrical experiences to audiences worldwide.

New Film Digger Set for October 2026 Release

In exciting news for cinema fans, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s hotly anticipated next film starring Tom Cruise has set a fall release date and unveiled its evocative title, “Digger,” with a tagline describing the movie as “a comedy of catastrophic proportions.” It will release on Oct. 2. The film will see Cruise star as the titular character Digger Rockwell, alongside Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy. The project reunites the creative team behind the Oscar-winning film “Birdman” and represents Iñárritu’s return to English-language cinema.

Why This Matters for Movie Lovers

Tom Cruise’s recent recognition and upcoming projects underscore his enduring influence on global cinema. When asked about being the “last movie star,” Cruise said: “I don’t want to be. There’s so many other talented actors out there and I want to see them crush it.” His commitment to theatrical releases and spectacular filmmaking continues to champion the cinema experience at a time when the industry faces significant challenges. With “Digger” promising to showcase a different side of Cruise’s acting range in what the director describes as a wild comedy, audiences can anticipate another landmark performance from one of Hollywood’s most dedicated performers when the film arrives in cinemas in autumn 2026.