London’s Leicester Square had an unmistakably royal feel on September 22 as Tom Cruise welcomed Prince William and Kate Middleton to the world premiere of Digger, the new film from Oscar winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.
The Prince and Princess of Wales joined Cruise on the red carpet before meeting the film’s ensemble cast, including Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons and Michael Stuhlbarg. The couple also spent time speaking with Iñárritu and Cruise before heading inside for the screening.
Their appearance also marked a reunion with Cruise. William and Kate previously attended the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, making the Digger event another high profile meeting between the actor and the royal couple.
A Very Different Tom Cruise Role
Digger sees Cruise step away from the high speed action persona audiences know best.
He plays Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil billionaire who finds himself racing to avert an environmental catastrophe that he helped create. The dark comedy follows his increasingly frantic attempt to position himself as humanity’s saviour before the consequences spiral beyond control.
The cast also includes Sophie Wilde and Emma D’Arcy, giving Iñárritu a particularly strong ensemble around Cruise. The film is scheduled to open in cinemas on October 2, 2026.
The London premiere itself brought together cinema, royalty and celebrity in equal measure, with guests including David Beckham, Salma Hayek, Hannah Waddingham and Jodie Turner-Smith also in attendance.
For Cruise, the evening turned the launch of one of his most unusual roles yet into a distinctly British red carpet moment.
