Disclosure Day

Spielberg Returns To Sci-Fi With ‘Disclosure Day’

As you think about the recent murder of director Rob Reiner, and all he left behind, consider this: Steven Spielberg is still out there and making movies. He revolutionized the industry with Jaws, and that was fifty whole years ago. He was one of the most influential forces in every Gen-X and Millennial childhood, to the point that some recent movies and shows have been giant love letters to him. Today whatever the man’s doing just seems to happen in the background of IP and sequel noise. He’s still making movies…but for how much longer? My point is not to take him for granted. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.

With his next film, Disclosure Day, Spielberg returns to one of his favorite subjects: aliens. A yet to be named central character, played by Emily Blunt, is reading the weather off a teleprompter for the local news in Kansas City when she suddenly starts….popping. A bunch of bizarre clicking noises start coming out of her mouth and the news crew is like “whaaaa?” to say nothing of the people watching at home. Apparently she has stumbled onto some great truth. The kind of truth that makes you sound like popcorn.

From there the characters speak in voiceover and wax poetic on a lot of existential and theological questions. “If you found out we weren’t alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?” The extraterrestrial premise is only implied, not shown, but it’s not subtle, and seems to be a more foreboding, heavier variant of Close Encounters.

We admit it’s been a long time since ol’ Steve made anything truly impactful, and we’re not entirely convinced that Disclosure Day is going to be as mindblowing an experience as this trailer wants us to believe it is. But it’s nice that Spielberg movies are still a thing.

Disclosure Day stars Blunt, Josh O’Connor (Challengers, The Crown), Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Kingsman franchise), Eve Hewson (Bad Sisters, The Perfect Couple), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing, Rustin), and will open in theaters June 12.

Join the club!

Video interviews, reviews, game news, and pure fandom - be the first to know!

Help Support PopGeeks

PopGeeks runs on reader support. We are not backed by corporate media, driven by algorithms, or overloaded with invasive ads. We are an independently run site created by fans, for fans, and we cover what we love: movies, TV, video games, comics, and tabletop RPGs.

Support PopGeeks for just $1/month and help keep our content free and ad-light. Your support covers hosting, pays our writers, and helps sustain independent coverage of movies, games, TV, and geek culture. Every dollar makes a difference.

This is a voluntary support payment. No physical goods or exclusive digital content are provided. PopGeeks content remains freely accessible to all. Sales tax does not apply.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. And thank you for helping PopGeeks stay fan-run, freely accessible, and fully independent.

Loading new replies...

Avatar of Toto_Tornado
Toto_Tornado

Storm Chaser

75 messages 0 likes

I do not fully agree with the idea that Spielberg faded into the background. He just stopped being loud. That is different. Many directors would kill to still make original films at his age. Disclosure Day sounds like something he would only make now, not in the 80s or 90s. Back then, aliens were wonder or threat. Now they sound like questions about faith, control, and fear. That feels honest to where the world is today.

The Kansas City news station setup is smart. It is normal life, not soldiers or scientists. A woman reading weather is suddenly treated like a warning sign. I like that. It makes the idea feel closer to real life. The clicking noises and people watching at home feels uncomfortable, and I think that is the point.

I am not worried that the aliens are not shown. Some of Spielberg’s strongest moments come from what he hides. Jaws worked because you did not see the shark much. If Disclosure Day uses restraint, that could be its strength. I do not need it to change cinema history. I just want it to feel thoughtful and serious. If it does that, Spielberg does not need to prove anything else to me.

Reply Like

click to expand...
Avatar of Urbanidad
Urbanidad

Member

795 messages 16 likes

Emily Blunt popping on live TV is such a weird image. I laughed a little reading that. But I also get the creepy vibe. I’m interested to see if it works on screen.

Reply Like

Avatar of Justin Beaver
Justin Beaver

New Member

3 messages 0 likes

Honestly, the popping sounds make me laugh a little. I hope it’s not too silly. But I do like that it focuses on regular people instead of scientists or soldiers. That could make it feel more real.I feel like this movie could be one of those “slow burn” type of films, and I don’t mind that at all. The concept of ordinary people suddenly encountering something beyond their understanding is always interesting. It reminds me a little of Close Encounters but in a quieter way. I’m curious to see how Emily Blunt portrays a character going through something so strange. The cast seems capable of making this heavy material feel real, and I hope the movie trusts the audience to think for themselves. This might end up being more thoughtful than most sci-fi films today.

Reply Like

click to expand...
Avatar of Lime
Lime

Sweet and Sour

65 messages 2 likes

Spielberg returning to aliens is exciting; on the other hand, the trailer left me unsure about the tone. The clicking sounds were strange and caught my attention, but I’m not sure if they will be creepy or just odd. Josh O’Connor talking about revealing the truth makes it sound political or social, which could be interesting if done right. I think the movie might go deeper than most summer blockbusters, and that could be refreshing. I’ll probably wait for reviews before deciding, but I am intrigued.

Reply Like

Avatar of Steve Denning
Steve Denning

Active Member

823 messages 44 likes

I felt a little uneasy watching the trailer, which I think is a good thing. Spielberg has a way of making even adults feel small when facing something unknown, and the clicks from Emily Blunt were disturbing in a good way. I’m curious how the other actors will interact with this alien revelation. The title “Disclosure Day” makes me think the story will have a countdown or buildup, which could make the tension grow. I expect both mystery and emotion, which is exactly what I like in science fiction.

Reply Like

Avatar of RedditBannedMe
RedditBannedMe

Please do not Ban Me

409 messages 7 likes

The trailer gives almost nothing away, but I like that it seems to focus on the human reaction to something as big as aliens being revealed. I also like that Emily Blunt is involved; she has a way of making intense scenes feel believable. Josh O’Connor standing in a crop circle already gives me the sense that this won’t just be about spectacle—it seems like it might explore fear, curiosity, and ethics. I am not expecting a lot of action, but more a thoughtful thriller with that Spielberg touch. The summer release is interesting too because it makes me wonder if it’s going to be more accessible than his recent dramas.

Reply Like

Avatar of Eddie Balrog
Eddie Balrog

Future Evo Champion

798 messages 19 likes

I feel like Spielberg returning to sci-fi is exciting but also a little nostalgic. Seeing him tackle aliens again reminds me of my childhood watching E.T. and Close Encounters. The trailer is weird and mysterious, but I like that it teases the story without spoiling it. I trust him to make something visually striking and emotionally engaging. I also like that he has actors like Colin Firth and Emily Blunt—people who can carry the weight of these kinds of stories. The alien reveal angle could go in so many directions, so I am hopeful it doesn’t rely too heavily on CGI and keeps the human drama intact.

Reply Like

Avatar of Kylie
Kylie

New Member

57 messages 2 likes

Emily Blunt and Colin Firth together sounds promising. The trailer makes it clear that this is not just about aliens showing up; it’s about how humans react to the truth. That angle is smart because it makes the story feel relevant and tense. Spielberg’s return to summer blockbusters after focusing on adult dramas might mean this is both thrilling and emotionally grounded. I also noticed the release date is June, which is perfect for a movie that seems to mix suspense with big cinematic moments. I think this could be one of the standout films next summer.

Reply Like