Tom Cruise unrecognizable in new film

The Tom Cruise we know from the big screen has completely disappeared in the new film "Digger".

The actor, who has been a trademark of action films for decades in which he portrays invincible heroes, underwent a major transformation with the help of makeup and prosthetics for this project.

In collaboration with Oscar winner Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, Cruz made what he says is one of the biggest breakthroughs in his 40-year career. The first trailer for the film attracted a lot of attention precisely because of his completely changed appearance.

The film, which is set to premiere on October 2, marks the actor's return to serious drama after years marked by action hits like "Top Gun" and the "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

Cruz revealed that preparing for the role was different from anything he had done before. In order to fully understand the director's vision, he listened to Iñárritu read the script.

"Alejandro took a few days to just read the script to me, and I listened to everything that was on his mind so I could understand it and then know how to contribute to that collaboration," Cruz said at the trailer launch at Warner Bros.

After achieving huge box office success with "Top Gun: Maverick," Cruise considers "Digger" his most challenging project yet. Iñárritu had been developing the idea for the film since 2015, and presented it to Cruise about seven years ago.

"The transformation he went through was astonishing. Alejandro once told me, 'Tom, it took me 40 years to become this character,'" the director said in a video message.

The film is also expected to showcase another side of Cruise's career - his acting, in addition to his status as one of the biggest action stars. The actor has been nominated for an Oscar three times, and this role represents his biggest transformation since his character as Lance Grossman in "Tropic Thunder."

"I've never had anything that could challenge me in this way, and neither has Alejandro. When you see this film, you'll realize it's completely original," Cruz said.