Spielberg’s Alien Thriller ‘Disclosure Day’ Hits Box Office Turbulence As Second Weekend Drop Looks Brutal
Summer 2026 has been a battlefield for original films, and few have carried as much weight on their shoulders as Steven Spielberg’s return to extraterrestrial storytelling. ‘Disclosure Day’ follows a Kansas City television meteorologist played by Emily Blunt and a cybersecurity expert played by Josh O’Connor who uncover and race to expose a decades long cover-up by a shadowy private organization called Wardex, which has suppressed evidence of extraterrestrial life visiting Earth. The film also features Colin Firth as the central antagonist, alongside Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson, and Wyatt Russell rounding out the ensemble.
The project arrived with serious pedigree behind the camera too. John Williams composed the score in what marks his 30th collaboration with Spielberg, and the film leaned on frequent collaborator Janusz Kaminski for cinematography. ‘Disclosure Day’ opened at No. 1 worldwide, pulling in 48.9 million dollars from 73 international markets and another 44 million domestically for a global debut of 92.9 million dollars, making it Spielberg’s biggest original movie opening of all time.
That early momentum has now stalled in dramatic fashion. According to box office analyst Luiz Fernando on X, ‘Disclosure Day’ earned just 4.9 million dollars on its second Friday, a brutal 73.7% drop from its opening day, a fall sharper than recent original tentpoles like ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,’ ‘Interstellar,’ and ‘Ready Player One’ experienced at the same point in their runs. The film is reportedly eyeing a 12 to 14 million dollar second three day weekend, with drops projected anywhere between 68 and 73%.
Industry trackers had been bracing for a softer sophomore frame, though estimates varied wildly depending on the source. Deadline projected the film would earn 16.5 million dollars in its second weekend, a 63% drop from its opening, while BoxOfficeTheory forecast roughly 21.4 million dollars, a 52% reduction, with BoxOffice Pro estimating somewhere between 17 and 22 million dollars. The reality now landing on Luiz Fernando’s radar appears to be tracking well below even the gloomiest of those numbers.
Part of the issue may trace back to audience reception rather than competition alone. ‘Disclosure Day’ currently holds an 80% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but earned only a B CinemaScore from moviegoers, signaling a divide between critical praise and word of mouth among ticket buyers. Reports also note the film skews heavily toward older audiences, with only 14% of its viewership coming from those between 18 and 24, and an under 17 audience described as virtually nonexistent despite its PG-13 rating.
Emily Blunt has been vocal about how personal the project felt to make. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Blunt described working with Spielberg as a deeply emotional experience, calling him her movie dad and saying she cried with joy when she learned she had been cast.
The bigger concern now is whether the film can climb back toward profitability. The film’s reported global breakeven point sits around 300 million dollars, a steep mountain for a wholly original sci-fi property to climb, especially with ‘Toy Story 5’ and ‘Supergirl’ crowding the marketplace in the weeks ahead.
Do you think ‘Disclosure Day’ can still find its audience overseas, or is Spielberg’s alien gamble already cooling off at the multiplex?
