Is 'Disclosure Day' connected to 'Close Encounters'? Steven Spielberg finally addresses the rumors
Steven Spielberg returns to UFO storytelling in 'Disclosure Day'. This return has sparked comparisons to one of his most famous science fiction films, 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' Since the movie's first teaser was released on December 16, 2025, and early promotional coverage, many viewers have wondered whether the new thriller is linked to the 1977 classic. Spielberg recently addressed those comparisons while discussing the film's themes, secrecy-driven plot, and why he wanted to revisit extraterrestrial stories decades later with Entertainment Weekly.
The comparison is easy to understand because both films deal with alien life and the question of who controls the truth. 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' featured government secrecy surrounding alien encounters, while 'Disclosure Day' moves that idea into a different space. Spielberg made it very clear, stating, "It is not a sequel in any way, shape, or form to Close Encounters." A major difference between 'Disclosure Day' and 'Close Encounters' lies in the nature of their conspiracies. While both stories revolve around hidden knowledge about alien activity, Spielberg explained that the cover-up in 'Close Encounters' is driven by the government. In contrast, 'Disclosure Day' shifts the focus toward private contractors and organizations holding information outside public view.
Spielberg also added that the hidden knowledge in the new movie is not controlled by the government but by private and contracting forces, "I really don't believe that governments can keep secrets," before explaining that the film looks at how large companies and contractors could hold archives and evidence outside public view. He added, "There are contracting companies that I believe hold all the knowledge and have the archives, not governments." In 'Disclosure Day', that secrecy is tied to Wardex, a deep-state contracting company that controls evidence of alien life and attempts to prevent its release. The story follows Daniel Kellner, played by Josh O'Connor, and Margaret Fairchild, played by Emily Blunt. Daniel is a programmer with knowledge and evidence that could prove the existence of alien life, while Margaret is a Missouri-based meteorologist who develops extraordinary abilities as the film progresses. Their paths connect as they try to reveal the truth while Wardex moves to stop them.
Another difference between 'Disclosure Day' and 'Close Encounters' also comes through in their characters. Spielberg's new movie focuses on people who are not trained to survive the situations they are thrown into. Daniel is not written as a standard action hero. O'Connor told EW that he thought about how Daniel would react with fear, confusion, and panic in moments that are usually played with more control in a thriller. The film also stars Colman Domingo as Hugo Wakefield, a deep-state defector who guides Daniel while keeping parts of his larger plan hidden.
Colin Firth plays Noah Scanlon, the head of Wardex, who wants to prevent the truth from being released all at once. According to EW, Spielberg and screenwriter David Koepp shaped the story around questions of public trust, institutional secrecy, and how people might respond if proof of alien life became impossible to deny. Spielberg also said that 'Disclosure Day' is not meant to cover the full history of UFO sightings or UAP reports. "Disclosure Day' is not a holistic review of the entire history of the UFO phenomenon." Instead, the movie focuses on an immediate information leak and how people react to it.
The filmmaker began shaping the story after real-life UAP discussions returned to public attention, including the 2023 congressional hearings. Koepp said the hearings influenced some of the film's language. This approach connects 'Disclosure Day' to Spielberg's larger history with science fiction without making it part of the same story as 'Close Encounters'. The new film shares themes with his earlier work, including questions about alien life, human connection, and fear of the unknown. Spielberg's explanation makes clear that it is a separate UFO thriller about what happens when hidden information begins to surface, and the people guarding it try to take it back.
