Disclosure Day, Steven Spielberg’s UFO thriller released by Universal on June 12, 2026, stars Emily Blunt as a Kansas City TV weather reporter and Josh O’Connor as a cybersecurity specialist turned whistleblower, with Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson and Wyatt Russell around them. Behind the camera Spielberg reassembled his longest-running team, from screenwriter David Koepp to composer John Williams on their 30th film together.
The short version: The Disclosure Day cast is led by Blunt as Margaret Fairchild, with O’Connor as Dr. Daniel Kellner and Firth as Wardex chief executive Noah Scanlon. Spielberg wrote the story and Koepp the screenplay, Janusz Kaminski shot it, and Michael Kahn and Sarah Broshar cut it. The film grossed $244,361,229 worldwide by The Numbers’ count and has streamed exclusively on Peacock since October 9, 2026. This guide stays light on plot; character descriptions come from the studio and Peacock.
The Disclosure Day cast and who they play
Character names below follow The Numbers’ credits listing, and the descriptions come from Peacock’s guide to the film, which describes the leads as “meteorologist Margaret Fairchild,” “cyber security specialist Dr. Daniel Kellner” and “Wardex CEO Noah Scanlon,” among others.
| Actor | Character | Who they are |
|---|---|---|
| Emily Blunt | Margaret Fairchild | Kansas City TV weather reporter |
| Josh O’Connor | Dr. Daniel Kellner | Cybersecurity specialist turned whistleblower |
| Colin Firth | Noah Scanlon | Chief executive of Wardex |
| Colman Domingo | Hugo Wakefield | Disclosure advocate |
| Eve Hewson | Jane Blankenship | Former nun, Daniel’s girlfriend |
| Wyatt Russell | Jackson | Margaret’s boyfriend |
| Henry Lloyd-Hughes | Casper Boyd | Supporting role |
| Elizabeth Marvel | Nun | Supporting role |
| Elliot Villar | Agent Diaz | Supporting role |
Margaret is the story’s anchor. Peacock describes her as “a Kansas City reporter who experiences an odd ‘event’ while broadcasting live that changes the course of her life forever,” and TheWrap summed up the film’s central pairing as “a television weatherwoman (Emily Blunt) and a cybersecurity expert-turned-whistleblower (Josh O’Connor).” Blunt explained the appeal in the film’s press notes, quoted by Peacock: “She is in a situation where she is way over her head.” She called characters like Margaret “ordinary yet interesting people thrust into extraordinary circumstances.” Our separate explainer on Emily Blunt’s role goes deeper on the character.
The supporting list also includes Michael Gaston and Patricia Conolly, whose character names The Numbers does not list. For a role-by-role look written before release, see our earlier Disclosure Day cast guide.
Spielberg and Koepp: how the script was written
The credit reads story by Steven Spielberg, screenplay by David Koepp, and the order reflects how it happened. According to TheWrap, the film “started in the summer of 2023, when Koepp received a 40-page document from Spielberg.” When Koepp asked what it was about, Spielberg answered, “Aliens again.” Koepp sent back notes, Spielberg revised, and eventually Spielberg asked, “Why don’t you write it?” Koepp’s reply: “I thought you’d never ask.”
The writing then ran, in Koepp’s description, through two years and 42 drafts. He compared the result to 1970s paranoia thrillers: “It felt like ‘Three Days of the Condor’ to me – they have this information, they have got to get it out and everyone is trying to stop them.” He also said “it was important to Steven that we use as much existing lore as possible,” which is why familiar UFO stories turn up in the film.
The partnership is a long one. TheWrap points out that Koepp wrote Jurassic Park for Spielberg at age 29, and that they reunited for The Lost World in 1997, War of the Worlds in 2005 and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Koepp framed Disclosure Day as “a kind of bookend to ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’” Spielberg made the same link in the press notes, recalling that while making the 1977 film he would ask himself: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of this turned out to be true?”
The crew behind the camera
| Job | Who |
|---|---|
| Director; story | Steven Spielberg |
| Screenplay | David Koepp |
| Producers | Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger |
| Executive producers | Adam Somner, Chris Brigham |
| Director of photography | Janusz Kaminski |
| Editors | Michael Kahn, Sarah Broshar |
| Music | John Williams |
| Visual effects supervisor | Matthew Butler |
| Special effects supervisor | Dan Sudick |
| Stunt coordinator | Brian Machleit |
The Numbers lists Atlanta, Georgia among the filming locations, along with New Jersey and New York, and classifies the film as an original screenplay rather than an adaptation. Peacock counts it as Spielberg’s 37th feature, and his first UFO film since War of the Worlds in 2005.
John Williams’ 30th Spielberg score
Classic FM counts Disclosure Day as “the 30th collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg,” a partnership that began with The Sugarland Express in 1974. Williams’ involvement was confirmed in October 2025, when he was 93, and Classic FM reported that he first suggested four other composers to Spielberg before agreeing to do it himself.
Spielberg has described the music as unusually quiet: “Disclosure Day is probably the most restrained score he has ever written for one of our collaborations – at least until it is not.” He added: “It is like he is accompanying the film from slightly behind it, pushing it forward.” Our piece on the Disclosure Day score covers the anticipation before release.
Box office, reviews and rating
Universal opened the film wide and in IMAX on June 12, 2026. The Numbers records an opening weekend of $44,530,925 from 3,824 theaters, and final grosses of $116,636,645 domestic, $127,724,584 international and $244,361,229 worldwide, against a production budget it lists as $115,000,000. Peacock’s own write-up rounds the global figure to $241 million; the small gap is a difference between sources rather than new grosses.
Reviews leaned positive without being unanimous. Checked on October 11, Rotten Tomatoes shows a 79% Tomatometer from 442 reviews and a 69% Popcornmeter from verified audience ratings. Its critics’ consensus credits “career-highlight work by Emily Blunt.” The film is rated PG-13 “for action/violence, some bloody images and strong language,” and runs 145 minutes. Not every outlet was won over: Space.com’s review called it a “close encounter with Spielberg’s brilliance that doesn’t quite make contact.”
Where to watch Disclosure Day now
Universal Home Entertainment released the film on video on July 21, 2026, according to The Numbers. Peacock’s guide, updated October 9, 2026, says it “is now streaming exclusively on Peacock,” and Space.com reported the start date as October 9, 2026. Rotten Tomatoes’ listing also shows rental and purchase through Fandango. That exclusivity is why the answer to whether Disclosure Day will be on Netflix is, for now, no.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is in the cast of Disclosure Day?
Emily Blunt plays Margaret Fairchild, Josh O’Connor plays Dr. Daniel Kellner, Colin Firth plays Noah Scanlon, Colman Domingo plays Hugo Wakefield, Eve Hewson plays Jane Blankenship and Wyatt Russell plays Jackson. Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Elizabeth Marvel and Elliot Villar have supporting parts.
Who wrote Disclosure Day?
Steven Spielberg has the story credit and David Koepp wrote the screenplay. Koepp told TheWrap the project began with a 40-page document from Spielberg in the summer of 2023 and went through 42 drafts.
Did John Williams score Disclosure Day?
Yes. It is his 30th film with Spielberg, a partnership that began with The Sugarland Express in 1974. Spielberg called it probably the most restrained score Williams has written for him.
Is Disclosure Day streaming?
Yes. As of October 2026 it streams exclusively on Peacock, which began offering it on October 9, 2026. It can also be rented or bought digitally.
How much did Disclosure Day make at the box office?
The Numbers lists $116,636,645 domestic and $244,361,229 worldwide, after a $44,530,925 opening weekend, on a production budget of $115,000,000.
Sources
- Disclosure Day (2026): Box Office and Financial Information — The Numbers (Nash Information Services), accessed October 11, 2026
- When Does Disclosure Day Stream on Peacock? — Tara Bennett, Peacock, updated October 9, 2026
- Disclosure Day Writer David Koepp on Putting Real UFO Facts in Film — TheWrap, June 2026
- Disclosure Day: Everything you need to know about John Williams’ score — Siena Linton, Classic FM, June 11, 2026
- Disclosure Day — Rotten Tomatoes, accessed October 11, 2026
- Steven Spielberg’s alien conspiracy movie ‘Disclosure Day’ finally hits a streaming service in October — Space.com, September 2026