June 15, 2026 · Watch the official trailer
Often, a filmmaker in the twilight of their career will make a movie that serves as a thoughtful treatise on their own legacy, reflecting on what they have learned over decades in cinema.
Steven Spielberg did this four years ago with his introspective, semi-autobiographical film, "The Fabelmans," and continues that discussion of greater purpose with his science-fiction thriller "Disclosure Day," a film whose story he reportedly wrote himself in the Notes app on his iPad. Yet "Disclosure Day" also harkens back to Spielberg's classic science-fiction filmography, searching for deeper meaning through spectacle and wonder.
The film follows Daniel, a computer programmer on the run from a shadowy corporation seeking to release proprietary secrets to the world, and Margaret, a television weatherperson whose life is suddenly changed after a chance encounter.
"Disclosure Day" takes elements from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "War of the Worlds," but filters them through the framework of a classic chase movie.
"Disclosure Day" propels itself forward through constant movement as Daniel escapes one predicament only to find himself in another a few scenes later. There is a palpable energy to the film that has not been characteristic of a Spielberg production since perhaps the early 2000s. While it lingers a bit too long in its third act, "Disclosure Day" may be one of Spielberg's most immersive cinematic experiences.
Josh O'Connor brings a simple earnestness to Daniel, and the way he is able to ground the character through much of "Disclosure Day" is highly reminiscent of something Tom Hanks might have done decades earlier with a similar role. Audiences are easily able to place themselves in Daniel's shoes and root for him because of O'Connor's affability and earnest naïveté as he finds himself thrust into increasingly bizarre circumstances.
About halfway through "Disclosure Day," the film pivots almost entirely to Emily Blunt's Margaret, a woman who initially appears to have every aspect of her life under control before becoming increasingly manic as events begin to unfold around her. Blunt's ability to layer seemingly normal behavior with a growing sense of frantic self-assuredness helps viewers maintain a suspension of disbelief when Spielberg and his team begin leaning harder into the film's science-fiction elements.
Colin Firth is exceptional as the film's primary antagonist, providing both gravitas and an underlying menace that helps balance the stakes in a screenplay that never presents audiences with a truly traditional villain. Colman Domingo is perfectly cast as an almost Wizard of Oz-like man behind the curtain who helps keep Daniel and Margaret on track, while Wyatt Russell and Eve Hewson provide solid supporting work rounding out the primary ensemble.
The real star of "Disclosure Day," however, is Spielberg himself. Both as a storyteller and filmmaker, he finds nuance and intrigue within a science-fiction narrative that almost completes the thematic circle he began nearly fifty years ago with "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
There’s an intensity and imminent sense of suspense throughout many of the film's strongest sequences, particularly in the first and second acts before its major revelations arrive. Spielberg's unique ability to generate tension through visual storytelling remains remarkably intact.
Although there are relatively few action sequences in "Disclosure Day," an extended car chase that carries Daniel from a secret location onto active train tracks is perhaps the most engaging action set piece Spielberg has crafted in more than a decade. The sequence is paired with another rock-solid score from John Williams, whose atmospheric compositions heighten the volatility and uncertainty running throughout the narrative.
"Disclosure Day" feels like a film made in 2026 with the cinematic sensibilities of the 1980s and 1990s. Spielberg also provides audiences with a wealth of philosophical questions that linger long after the credits roll, intentionally leaving many of the film's biggest ideas unresolved in order to encourage discussion. While that approach may prove divisive for some viewers, "Disclosure Day" never attempts to preach a singular answer to the existential questions it raises.
Naturally, because it is a Spielberg film, "Disclosure Day" will receive awards season consideration in certain circles, though its strongest case may ultimately be yet another outstanding score from Williams.
While audiences do not necessarily need to rush to theaters to avoid spoilers or experience the film on the largest screen possible, "Disclosure Day" is a summer blockbuster well worth the price of admission and one that viewers are likely to be discussing long after they leave the cinema.
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