Steven Spielberg’s Unofficial Alien Trilogy Comes Full Circle With DISCLOSURE DAY, Says Star Josh O’Connor
Steven Spielberg has given audiences some of the most memorable alien stories ever put on screen. From the awe and wonder of Close Encounters of the Third Kind to the heartfelt friendship at the center of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, his films have shaped how generations think about life beyond Earth.
Now, with the upcoming sci-fi thriller Disclosure Day, one of the film’s stars believes Spielberg has completed an unofficial trilogy of alien-focused stories.
Speaking with GamesRadar+, Josh O’Connor shared his thoughts on where Disclosure Day fits within Spielberg’s long history of extraterrestrial storytelling.
"I don't want to speak for Steven, but I think there is an element of it being the third in a sort of trio: Close Encounters, E.T., and this. Obviously, War of the Worlds is in there as well, but Steven's talked about those three."
That’s an interesting perspective, especially considering Spielberg’s deep creative connection to all three projects. While Disclosure Day isn’t a direct sequel to either Close Encounters or E.T., it does share thematic DNA with those films.
Spielberg directed all three, and Disclosure Day is based on a story he developed himself. He also famously wrote Close Encounters of the Third Kind and played a major role in bringing E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to life, making the connection feel even stronger.
What makes Disclosure Day particularly intriguing is that the film arrives at a time when public fascination with UFOs and unexplained aerial phenomena is at a high point.
Congressional hearings on UAPs, along with the Pentagon’s recent release of additional UFO-related documents, have pushed conversations about possible extraterrestrial life further into the mainstream.
O’Connor admitted that the timing feels unusual. "It's a really strange thing. But it's nice that there's that feeling around the film."
His co-star Eve Hewson took the subject matter seriously enough to dive into interviews with people who claim to have encountered non-human lifeforms while preparing for her role. The research apparently left a lasting impression.
"People keep ignoring it, somehow. It's really weird. [Whistleblowers] keep being like: 'This is real, these are facts,' And everyone's like, 'Say what?' [laughs]"
The film follows Daniel Kellner, played by O’Connor, a whistleblower who finds himself hunted by a powerful extra-governmental organization determined to conceal evidence of alien life.
Hewson plays Jane, Kellner’s former girlfriend and an ex-novitiate who wrestles with the existence of non-human intelligence through the lens of faith and religion.
The cast also includes Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Colin Firth, giving the film one of the most exciting ensemble lineups of the summer movie season.
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Disclosure Day is the nature of the aliens themselves. Spielberg and the filmmakers have kept those details tightly under wraps.
There have even been some wild online theories suggesting the movie is tied to an elaborate effort to prepare the public for real-world alien disclosure. Screenwriter David Koepp, however, has already shut down those rumors.
Whether Disclosure Day ultimately earns a place alongside Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in fans’ minds remains to be seen.
But if O’Connor’s comments are any indication, Spielberg’s latest sci-fi adventure may serve as the final piece of a fascinating thematic trilogy that has been decades in the making.
Audiences won’t have to wait much longer to find out. Disclosure Day lands in U.S. theaters on June 12.