John Goodman says negative reviews for “Digger” damaged the film before it reaches audiences, arguing that critical buzz and early reactions hurt its box-office prospects. Multiple outlets report that he raises this point in connection with how reviewers and public sentiment formed before the movie opened.
Variety and ComingSoon.net describe Goodman speaking about the impact of pre-release criticism on a podcast appearance, using language suggesting the movie was “killed” or “hurt” by critics before opening. Variety also includes that the film cost more than $160 million, tying that investment to the box-office outcome.
Other coverage, including IGN and the Daily Mail, frames the story as Goodman “hitting back” at critics, emphasizing his view that scathing reviews affected the movie’s performance and standing. Across outlets, the core account is that Goodman attributes the film’s struggles to early negative reception rather than to later audience reactions.
