Tom Cruise says his drive to make films has nothing to do with financial reward — and everything to do with a lifelong fascination with people, life, and art. The Hollywood star made the candid remarks during a promotional visit to Tokyo, Japan, where he appeared alongside director Alejandro Iñárritu to introduce their upcoming Warner Bros. film 'Digger'.

What Cruise Said in Tokyo

Cruise shared a video on Instagram from the Tokyo visit, with a voiceover in which he reflected on his love for Japan and his career philosophy. 'As a child, I dreamed of seeing the world. And I'll never forget the first time I came to this country. And you can't help but fall in love with the culture, the art, the history,' he said.

He was equally direct about his motivations as a filmmaker: 'I don't make movies for money. I do it because I'm interested. I'm interested in people, in life, in art.' He also expressed eagerness to bring 'Digger' to Japanese audiences, describing the trip as a dream realised. His Instagram caption read: 'Thank you to the wonderful people of Japan for making this visit, and every visit to this incredible country, so special!'

Iñárritu Calls It a 'Risky Film'

Director Alejandro Iñárritu was equally candid about the project's ambition. 'I was lucky to have the best actor in the world, the best cast in the world, in a studio that bet on this very risky film,' he said alongside Cruise at the Tokyo event. The remark signals that 'Digger' is not a conventional commercial vehicle — a point Cruise himself underscored with his remarks about art over commerce.

What 'Digger' Is About

Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, described in a Warner Bros. logline as 'the most powerful man in the world' who 'embarks on a frantic mission to prove that he is humanity's saviour before the disaster he's unleashed destroys everything,' according to variety.com. The exact plot remains under wraps beyond that synopsis.

The film boasts a star-studded ensemble that includes Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, Riz Ahmed, and Emma D'Arcy. It was produced and directed by Iñárritu from a script he co-wrote in 2023 with Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, and Sabina Berman — the same core writing team behind 'Birdman'. The film shot in the UK for six months.

A New Chapter With Warner Bros.

'Digger' marks Cruise's first theatrical project since he signed a deal to develop and produce films with Warner Bros. Discovery in January 2026. Notably, his last collaboration with the studio was 'Edge of Tomorrow', released over a decade ago. For Iñárritu, it is his first English-language feature since 'The Revenant'. Both facts make 'Digger' something of a reunion on multiple fronts — and raise the stakes for what both filmmakers have described as a deliberately bold project.

Cruise closed his Tokyo remarks on a note that doubled as a creative manifesto: 'I want to make movies that hopefully last. The world changes and life changes, but storytelling is storytelling.'