Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and a new generation of ‘Resident Evil’ characters are set to arrive on Bangladeshi screens on Oct 2, with both films scheduled for release at Star Cineplex on the same day as their international theatrical openings.

Tom Cruise appears almost unrecognisable in ‘Digger’, directed by two-time Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

With grey-white hair, a large belly, a wrinkled face and a markedly different body language, Cruise takes on a character far removed from the action hero audiences know from ‘Mission: Impossible’ and ‘Top Gun’.

The film follows Digger Rockwell, a powerful billionaire whose company is linked to a project that causes a massive glacier in Greenland to shift. What begins as an environmental crisis gradually threatens to become a global catastrophe, with scientists warning of devastating climate consequences and even the possibility of nuclear conflict.

Digger initially dismisses the warnings and refuses to halt his multibillion-dollar business. As the crisis worsens, he attempts to position himself not only as a powerful businessman but as the saviour of humanity.

The film has drawn attention particularly for Cruise’s transformation. He worked with Iñárritu on elements including makeup, costume, teeth, accent and mannerisms to create the eccentric character.

Blending black comedy, political satire and environmental themes, ‘Digger’ marks a notable departure from the star’s familiar action-oriented roles.

Also opening on Oct 2 is the latest film in the popular ‘Resident Evil’ franchise, based on Capcom’s hit video game series.

The Hollywood franchise began in 2002 with Paul W.S. Anderson’s ‘Resident Evil’, starring Milla Jovovich, and later expanded into a seven-film series. Sony Pictures rebooted the franchise with ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ in 2021.

The new film, simply titled ‘Resident Evil’, is directed by Zach Cregger and serves as the franchise’s second reboot and eighth overall film.

Austin Abrams, Jack Champion, Cailee Spaeny and Paul Walter Hauser are among the cast.

The film is not a direct sequel to the earlier movies. Instead, it returns to the survival-horror atmosphere of the games, with the story unfolding around the time of the events of ‘Resident Evil 2’.

The central character, Brian, is a medical courier who becomes trapped in Raccoon City amid a deadly infection and monstrous creatures. Unlike a trained soldier or conventional action hero, he must rely on his instincts and limited resources to survive.

Cregger, who made his directorial debut with the acclaimed 2022 horror film ‘Barbarian’, has sought to give audiences the feeling of being inside a ‘Resident Evil’ game.

With both films arriving at Star Cineplex on Oct 2, Bangladeshi audiences will be able to watch the two Hollywood releases on their international opening day.