First Disclosure Day Reactions Tease Steven Spielberg's Best Movie In Years

Legendary director Steven Spielberg hasn't released a feature film since 2022 with the semi-autobiographical film "The Fabelmans" ... but he's back and, some might say, better than ever. With Spielberg's 2026 release "Disclosure Day" coming on June 12, 2026, word on the street is that it's the director's best effort in some time.

"Disclosure Day," which boasts an all-star cast that includes Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Eve Hewson, Colin Firth, and Colman Domingo, has screened for some select critics — and they're all feeling pretty positive about it. Jim Hemphill of IndieWire posted about seeing the film on the social media platform X, and he didn't exactly mince words. "'Disclosure Day' is top tier Spielberg, as exhilarating as [Indiana Jones and the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'] but with the emotional texture & increased ambition of his post-9/11 work. Right from the opening Spielberg lays down the gauntlet and reminds you that he does this stuff better than anybody in the history of film." 

Bill Bria at /Film, Looper's sister site, echoed that sentiment. "'Disclosure Day' is the weirdest movie Spielberg's ever made (complimentary)," he said, also on X and referencing the film's screenwriter and a few other standout aspects. "Breathtaking compositions, David Koepp's X-FILES-meets-The Bible script is one big high-wire act, Emily Blunt's most accomplished performance, John Williams' best score in years. Riveting, moving stuff." Again, this was a pretty common feeling amongst people who have already seen Spielberg's next epic ... which has remained largely shrouded in mystery ahead of its release but is making waves already.

Again, we can't stress enough that very few people have seen "Disclosure Day" already ... but the people who have really, really loved it. As Gizmodo and io9 writer Germain Lussier declared on X, "I loved "'Disclosure Day.' A dense roller coaster ride blending chase film, love story, & mystery, all wrapped in sci-fi wonder. It's Spielberg's best film in 20 years, filled [with] all the magic that makes his films so special, plus an all-time character/performance by Emily Blunt."

Reporting on the film for Collider, journalist Steven Weintraub took full advantage of a verified X account to write a lengthy but spoiler-free review of the film. "In a shock to absolutely no one, Steven Spielberg has delivered another towering home run with 'Disclosure Day.' I could go on and on about what I loved, but I was lucky enough to see the movie knowing almost nothing, and I strongly recommend you do the same," Weintraub said, urging fans to "stop watching" the trailers before wrapping up his off-the-cuff review. "The one thing I will say: Emily Blunt is incredible," he concluded. "I know big summer movies aren't usually the kinds of performances that get awards-season attention, but once people see what she does in this..."

Freelance film critic Tessa Smith also absolutely loved the film. "'Disclosure Day' is ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL! Truly something special. I was hanging onto every word, captivated by the story as it all played out," she wrote, also on X. "The score perfectly elevates every single scene. Part mystery, part 'Twilight Zone,' something new entirely. I shed a tear at the end. WOW." So what is "Disclosure Day" ... about?

On May 27, fans got a final look at "Disclosure Day" before it arrives in theaters thanks to a new trailer ... and though we did get some pretty tantalizing glimpses of extra-terrestrials in said trailer as well as a tiny bit of clarity on the movie's premise.

The title of "Disclosure Day" refers to a fateful day where the world learns that there really is intelligent life besides us in the universe, and we see some of that in the trailer, including tense scenes with Colin Firth's apparently powerful Noah Scanlon saying that humanity just isn't ready for this massive revelation. The neat thing about this trailer, though, is that Steven Spielberg himself provides commentary ... and if you're at all familiar with his body of work, you know that he's been interested in aliens for some time. (We should say, though, that the vibe of "Disclosure Day" seems to be closer to his 1977 film "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" than the family-friendly "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Spielberg, as he says in the trailer, firmly believes that we're not alone in the universe.

"I am much more inclined now than I was when I made 'Close Encounters' to really believe that we're not the only intelligent civilization in the universe," Spielberg says of his personal evolution on the topic. "How will 'Disclosure' change us? I believe for the better. It will remind us of our capacity for empathy, and that there is something bigger out there than just ourselves," he concluded.

"Disclosure Day" hits theaters on June 12, 2026.