Steven Spielberg Takes CinemaCon Stage to Unveil First Look at Alien in ‘Disclosure Day’

Steven Spielberg made his debut at CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners, to promote his upcoming film, Disclosure Day. This marks the first time the acclaimed director has attended the event, held in Las Vegas. Spielberg’s appearance was met with enthusiastic applause, particularly after receiving the Motion Picture Association’s America250 Award from Charles Rivkin, the chair of the organization, in recognition of his contributions to cinema.

A New Chapter in Spielberg’s Career

During his address, Spielberg expressed excitement about his first CinemaCon experience, stating, “This will not be my last, I promise.” At 79, he hinted at future projects, mentioning, “I haven’t done a Western yet — that’s next.” He reflected on the profound impact of his early cinema experiences, recalling how nothing could compare to watching a Cecil B. DeMille film in the front rows of a movie palace.

The director acknowledged the challenges faced by the film industry, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he described as having “clobbered” the theatergoing experience. However, he also noted that there is “reason for hope,” highlighting projects like Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet, in which he served as a producer.

Insights on Disclosure Day

In a discussion with actor Colman Domingo, Spielberg shared his long-standing fascination with extraterrestrial life. He recounted his childhood curiosity about the night sky and his father’s tales of “advanced civilizations” beyond Earth. Spielberg pointed to a 2017 New York Times article about a Navy pilot capturing unexplained phenomena on camera as a catalyst for his renewed interest in the subject. He remarked, “In 2017, I got very curious again,” referencing his earlier work, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was released 50 years ago.

He expressed confidence in Disclosure Day, stating, “I truly believe that this movie is going to answer questions and cause you to ask a lot of questions.” He emphasized that the film is an experience, quipping, “All you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seatbelt.”

Exclusive Footage and Cast Highlights

Spielberg unveiled new footage from Disclosure Day, which features a cast including Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. The film explores the implications of humanity potentially receiving proof of non-human intelligent life. This project marks Spielberg’s first film since 2022’s The Fabelmans and also stars Domingo, Colin Firth, Wyatt Russell, and Eve Hewson.

The footage showcased Blunt as a meteorologist who struggles to communicate during a live broadcast. O’Connor, in a moment of levity, noted that he could interpret her nonsensical speech as “math.” The clip also featured an emotional exchange between O’Connor and Blunt, culminating in action sequences, including Blunt attempting to leap from a car onto a moving train. The preview concluded with an initial glimpse of the film’s alien life form.

Connections to the UFO Genre

Disclosure Day signifies Spielberg’s return to the UFO genre, with speculation that it may serve as a spiritual sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Blunt recently indicated that the new film addresses questions raised in the earlier work, stating, “There are definitely questions posed by Close Encounters that are answered in Disclosure Day.”

At the South by Southwest Film & TV festival, Spielberg remarked on the broader implications of his film, expressing a strong suspicion that humanity is not alone on Earth. He stated, “I don’t know any more than any of you do, but I have a very strong suspicion that we are not alone here on Earth right now — and I made a movie about that.”

Legislative Context and Anticipation

The unveiling of the footage coincided with Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna’s deadline for the Pentagon to declassify and release specific video files related to UAP/UFO activity. Luna reported that there had been no response from the Pentagon until her office reached out, suggesting that the request had not been properly forwarded. She emphasized that they would not wait for an unspecified future briefing, asserting that the President had authorized the release of the information.

As Disclosure Day approaches its release date of June 12, Universal hopes that any forthcoming videos related to UAPs will enhance interest in the film.

For more details, visit Hollywood Reporter.

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Published on 2026-04-16 05:18:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk