Disclosure Day’s Aliens Aren’t Surprising At All (And That Makes Them Perfect)

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While it features aliens, the core of Steven Spielberg’s new movie Disclosure Day isn’t really about them. The film ultimately explores what it means to be human. The aliens deliver a straightforward message: our ability to understand and connect with each other is key to survival – if we fail to empathize and listen, humanity risks disappearing.

Despite all of this, Spielberg references actual UFO conspiracy theories from the past. He crafts a compelling science fiction story about two everyday people selected by aliens to help change society. Interestingly, the aliens themselves aren’t particularly inventive – and that’s intentional, adding a unique layer to the narrative.

Disclosure Day’s Aliens Are Pretty Much Every Stereotype Brought To Life

The trailers for Disclosure Day didn’t show much of the aliens, leading some to believe they’d be a new creation. However, the aliens in the film are actually the classic “Gray Aliens” we’ve seen in science fiction for years. This is a surprising choice for such an imaginative director, but it fits the film’s premise perfectly. Disclosure Day is set in a world where all legends are true – including the Roswell incident – and the government has been covering up the existence of aliens since 1947.

What struck me about Spielberg’s approach to the aliens in this movie is how he didn’t go for a totally radical new look. I think that was deliberate! It felt like if the aliens looked too different, it would hint that maybe the conspiracy stuff wasn’t entirely right, and we wouldn’t buy into the story as much. The really clever part, though, was them being able to appear as animals – seriously creepy! It makes you wonder if they’re already everywhere, blending in. Apparently, it’s because humans connect with animals more easily than each other, which is a pretty insightful observation about us, and I think Spielberg wanted us to consider that.

Why Disclosure Day’s Alien Aren’t Invaders

The aliens in Disclosure Day are remarkably kind and understanding – they don’t even respond with hostility to human attacks or experiments. While some of their abilities are strange, and terms like “Experiencers” are confusing, their intentions are straightforward. They want to help humanity avoid a third World War, acting as teachers and guides. In fact, the biggest threat in Disclosure Day isn’t the aliens at all; it’s humanity’s own lack of empathy, which creates problems for everyone involved.

Honestly, this explanation just feels right. It perfectly matches what the movie is getting at – these aliens are incredibly advanced, almost like a race created without the flaws we humans have. And when you think about their history – visiting us since 1947, being attacked and studied, but never fighting back – it’s the only thing that makes sense. Any other explanation, and the Roswell incident would have ended in all-out war. They wouldn’t just keep coming back for more!

One of the most compelling parts of the movie is a flashback showing the aliens with young Margaret Fairchild and Daniel Kellner. It plays with familiar alien abduction stories, but suggests these two are special – essentially the first humans of a new species. The film hints that others were abducted too, but unlike Margaret and Daniel, they didn’t receive any special abilities. The reason seems to be their innocence; being children at the time meant they hadn’t yet been affected by the negative aspects of human nature, making them ideal choices.

Disclosure Day is the Film Spielberg Always Wanted to Make

Steven Spielberg has always believed there’s life beyond Earth. As he told CNN, it would be arrogant to assume humanity is the only intelligent species in the universe. This long-held belief is reflected throughout his films, featuring aliens in movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. While he’s explored scenarios with hostile extraterrestrials – as seen in War of the Worlds – Spielberg’s most iconic aliens are generally benevolent. Therefore, the friendly aliens in his upcoming film, Disclosure Day, feel perfectly aligned with his worldview; they represent the kind of life he hopes exists and a message he believes we should be open to receiving.

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2026-06-15 20:12