The thriller "Verity" extended its North American box office lead on Tuesday, holding the top domestic position with sustained weekday grosses as Tom Cruise's "Digger" continued a steep decline, according to studio figures reported by Comscore. The adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestseller has outperformed expectations against a crowded October slate.

"Verity," based on Hoover's 2018 novel, drew heavily on a built-in readership and strong word of mouth among younger female audiences. The film opened ahead of "Digger," which arrived with a career-low critical reception for Cruise after reviews placed its Rotten Tomatoes score near 30 percent.

Distributors tracking the midweek numbers said "Verity" benefited from the absence of major new wide releases and from robust pre-sale momentum carried over from the weekend.

Cruise's "Digger" shed a large share of its opening audience, a drop that industry analysts at Comscore attributed to poor exit polling and weak reviews. The contrast underscored a shift in October's commercial dynamics, with a mid-budget literary adaptation outpacing a star-driven action vehicle.

Studio marketing executives have pointed to the enduring box office power of Hoover's fanbase, following prior successes with adaptations of her work. A representative for the film's distributor said the thriller's performance reflected "the strength of the source material and an audience eager for this story," adding that the studio expected continued holds through the coming weekend.