In “ Digger, ” Tom Cruise portrays a powerful oil tycoon who is bracing for an ecological disaster of epic proportions

This time last year, few in Hollywood would have expected “Verity” to prevail over “Digger” at the domestic box office.

5 million in its third weekend of release.

Now the market is roughly $50 million away from crossing $8 billion — a milestone the industry didn’t cross last year until December.