Verity runs over Tom Cruise: thriller grabs $4.5M in previews as 'Digger' digs up just $1.2M

The first box office battle of the weekend ended in a rout. 'Verity', the psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett, took in $4.5 million from Thursday (Oct. 1) previews, while 'Digger', Tom Cruise's collaboration with director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, landed at $1.2 million.

Produced by Amazon MGM on a budget of around $40 million, 'Verity' opens in 3,510 theaters and saw its projections climb throughout the week: trade estimates now range from $30 million to $35 million for its opening weekend, fueled by strong walk-up business.

For Warner Bros.' 'Digger', the picture is much grimmer. The satire, which arrived with split reviews, was projected at $12 million to $15 million, and parts of the US press are already warning it could become one of the year's biggest flops given the cost of the production.