Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day arrives in theaters June 12, 2026, with a sci-fi thriller that reunites the director with actors Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor in a story about humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial life. The film marks Spielberg’s return to the UFO genre that defined classics like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Blunt plays a Kansas City TV meteorologist suddenly overwhelmed by a mysterious extraterrestrial force during a live weather broadcast, while O’Connor stars as a believer determined to reveal the truth about alien life to the world. The ensemble cast also includes Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes.
Spielberg developed the story with screenwriter David Koepp, who previously collaborated with the director on the Jurassic Park films, War of the Worlds, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The film was shot primarily on 35mm film by cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, with composer John Williams providing the score.
Early reactions from critics who attended preview screenings have been overwhelmingly positive. Multiple reviewers are calling Disclosure Day Spielberg’s best film in 20 years. Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier wrote that the movie is “a dense roller coaster ride blending chase film, love story, & mystery, all wrapped in sci-fi wonder,” while Collider’s Steven Weintraub called it “another towering home run,” singling out Blunt’s performance as “incredible.”
Slashfilm’s Bill Bria described the screenplay as “X-FILES-meets-The Bible,” praising Blunt’s “most accomplished performance” and “John Williams’ best score in years.” IndieWire’s Jim Hemphill compared it to Raiders of the Lost Ark, saying it delivers “the emotional texture & increased ambition of his post-9/11 work.” Rotten Tomatoes critic Tessa Smith reported she “shed a tear at the end,” calling the film “ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.”
The film represents Spielberg’s first feature since 2022’s The Fabelmans, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama. Disclosure Day marks his 37th directorial effort and comes as real-world interest in UFOs and government transparency has grown, with the Pentagon releasing previously classified reports on anomalous aerial activity in recent years.
Sources
- Variety — First reactions calling the film Spielberg’s best in 20 years, cast details, and Emily Blunt’s performance praise
- The Hollywood Reporter — Early critic reactions, plot synopsis, and cast information
- IMDb — Release date, director, cast, and screenplay credits
- NBC — Release date confirmation and film details
- Wikipedia — Film premise, production dates, premiere information, and cast list
- Rotten Tomatoes — Film information and critic reactions
