Steven Spielberg is arguably the most influential filmmaker when it comes to UFOs in cinema. His films, particularly Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T., are still considered classics and are deeply beloved by audiences.
As a huge movie buff, I was thrilled to hear he was revisiting this subject in his new film, Disclosure Day. Of course, everyone immediately started wondering if it was connected to his previous work – a sequel, maybe? The speculation was intense!
Those theories intensified in the run up to release, with one rumour – fuelled by a moment from the trailer – suggesting that the film was a secret sequel to Close Encounters.
Now that the movie has been released, let’s look at whether those earlier reports were accurate. Be aware that this article contains minor spoilers for the film!
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Is Disclosure Day connected to Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
The short answer is no. At least, there is no direct narrative connection between the two films.
Spielberg has stated definitively that this film is not a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as he told Entertainment Weekly.
While this film features completely new characters, aliens, and UFOs – nothing carries over from the first one – many consider it a spiritual successor, meaning it shares the same themes and feeling as the original.
Both of the films are concerned with alien visitations to Earth, both prominently feature secret organisations tasked with keeping the visits under wraps (although in Disclosure Day, this task has been contracted to a private company rather than the government), and both include characters whose behaviours change after interacting with a life form from beyond the planet.
You could think of Disclosure Day as a continuation of the story started in Close Encounters, exploring what might have happened afterward.
The previous movie showed a single encounter, but imagine if that was just one of numerous visits spanning decades, and those visits were about to become public knowledge?
This is something that star Emily Blunt referenced in an interview with Empire ahead of release, explaining that “There are definitely questions posed by Close Encounters that are answered in Disclosure Day.”
Interestingly Close Encounters isn’t the only previously Spielberg film which Disclosure Days includes some references to – with many critics having pointed out similarities with everything from Minority Report to The Post to The Fabelmans.
There’s no doubt that it’s Close Encounters where the most obvious connection lies, however, even if the story isn’t technically a direct follow-up to the events of that film.
Disclosure Day is now showing in UK cinemas.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is TopMob’s Senior Film Writer, covering new movies in theaters and on streaming platforms. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time, he’s interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.
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2026-06-11 19:34