Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ debut sees sharp box‑office decline amid mixed reviews

Steven Spielberg’s science‑fiction thriller ‘Disclosure Day’ opened in U.S. theatres on June 12, 2026. The film, starring Emily Blunt as meteorologist Margaret Fairchild, also features Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth and Colman Domingo, with a score by John Williams. Critics praised its ambition but noted a “average” script; Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 72 % audience score and a B CinemaScore, while several reviews called the narrative safe and less imaginative than earlier Spielberg UFO works.

The movie earned $44 million in its opening weekend, the director’s strongest debut for an original project, but fell 61.8 % to $17 million in its second weekend, a steeper drop than comparable releases. With a $115 million production budget and $80 million marketing spend, industry analysts say the picture needs roughly $300 million worldwide to break even. Internationally it has brought in $48.9 million from 73 territories, so overseas performance will be crucial.

The release coincided with a surge in public interest in extraterrestrials. The U.S. Department of War’s recent declassification of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena files has drawn 1.7 billion hits on its UFO portal, and a CBS News/YouGov poll shows 63 % of Americans now believe intelligent alien life exists. The film’s launch adds to this cultural moment, linking Spielberg’s fictional story with real‑world debates about alien disclosure.

The film’s editing, overseen by Sarah Broshar, involved intensive daily revisions with Spielberg, aiming to balance fast‑paced chase sequences with the protagonist’s emotional arc. Despite the production’s high profile, the combination of mixed critical response and a sharp box‑office slide places ‘Disclosure Day’ as a notable but uncertain entry in Spielberg’s catalogue.