Hollywood's first October showdown has a tantalizing hook: a bestselling author's dark thriller is taking on one of the world's biggest movie stars. Verity, starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett, is favored to lead the North American box office over October 2-4, while Tom Cruise's Digger faces a tougher opening.
The first reported numbers have sharpened that contrast. Verity collected $4.5 million in previews, compared with $1.2 million for Digger, according to Friday's trade reporting. Those are preview grosses, not completed weekend totals, but they give the thriller a clear early advantage.
For Cruise, the suspense now extends beyond the screen. Can his star power draw audiences to an unfamiliar kind of movie, or will the pull of Colleen Hoover's readership prove stronger?
Boxoffice Pro's September 30 forecast puts the contenders in these ranges. All figures below are projected three-day grosses for the United States and Canada, in US dollars-not final results.
| Film | Projected Weekend Gross |
|---|---|
| Verity | $25-35 million |
| Digger | $8-12 million |
| Heart of the Beast | $8-12 million |
| Resident Evil | $8-12 million |
| Primetime | $8-12 million |
Verity has the strongest forecast, combining Hoover's name recognition with a prominent cast. Yet the question is how much business arrives beyond the book's established fans. A strong opening would demonstrate that the adaptation can turn literary curiosity into a wider theatrical event.
Digger presents a different gamble. Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the political satire places Cruise in material far removed from his familiar action vehicles. Boxoffice Pro identifies divisive reviews and an unclear marketing pitch as potential obstacles, despite the attention surrounding his performance.
The competition below first place could be considerably tighter. Brad Pitt's Heart of the Beast, Resident Evil, and Robert Pattinson's Primetime share the same forecast range as Digger. Small differences in attendance could therefore produce a very different ranking by Sunday.
The weekend's most compelling story is the test of what persuades people to buy a ticket: a beloved author, a provocative premise, a familiar franchise, or a superstar trying something unexpected. Preview turnout offers an opening clue; sustained business through Saturday and Sunday will determine how convincing that clue becomes.
For now, Verity has the momentum. The intrigue lies in whether that advantage grows-and whether Cruise can give Digger a stronger finish than its cautious forecasts suggest.
