When Warner Bros. showcased new footage of its upcoming satirical black comedy, Digger, at Cinemacon in April, it seemed to be a highlight of the event, earning industry insiders' praise.

The general public has only seen a title announcement and a teaser in May that highlighted Tom Cruise's career accomplishments with just 30 seconds of footage from the film. However, the official trailer now reveals a powerful Dr Strangelove-esque vibe, updated for modern times. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s first English-language film since 2015’s The Revenant, Digger centres around an eccentric billionaire oil baron named Digger Rockwell who races to save humanity before a disaster he unleashed destroys everything.

Cruise is known for taking big creative risks, such as playing a rage-filled motivational speaker in Magnolia and an over-the-top movie mogul in Tropic Thunder. In the new trailer, Cruise's character is almost unrecognizable, with wispy hair and a potbelly, reflecting his commitment to the role.

The official logline succinctly describes the plot: “The most powerful man in the world races to prove he’s humanity's savior before the disaster he unleashed destroys everything.” The ecological disaster appears to involve a rapidly melting iceberg and some nuclear waste. Whether Cruise can pull off this transformation remains to be seen, but audiences will soon find out.