Audiences Have Spoken: Steven Spielberg’s New Movie ‘Disclosure Day’ Fails to Live Up to His Classics

Steven Spielberg has delivered some of the most beloved sci-fi movies in film history, but early audience reactions suggest his latest project may not be connecting with moviegoers in quite the same way.

According to CinemaScore, Disclosure Day has received a B grade from audiences following its opening weekend. While that score is still considered positive, it falls below the ratings earned by many of the biggest science fiction hits released over the years.

The audience polling service gathers reactions from moviegoers immediately after they leave the theater, making it one of the industry’s most closely watched indicators of public reception.

The new film stars Emily Blunt and is directed by Spielberg from a screenplay written by longtime collaborator David Koepp. The movie centers on a mysterious UFO-related story and marks Spielberg’s return to one of the genres that helped define his career.

While critics have largely responded well to the film, audiences appear to be more divided. A B CinemaScore places Disclosure Day alongside films such as District 9, Tenet, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. However, it falls behind several major sci-fi titles that earned stronger audience reactions.

Classic favorites like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Terminator 2: Judgment Day both received the highest possible CinemaScore grade of A+. More recent hits including The Martian, Project Hail Mary, and Dune: Part Two earned A ratings from audiences. Other well-regarded science fiction films such as Dune, Blade Runner 2049, Ready Player One, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes received A- grades.

At the same time, Disclosure Day performed better than some sci-fi releases that struggled to win over audiences. Ad Astra received a B-, while Reminiscence earned a C+ and Annihilation finished with a C grade.

The film premiered at Le Grand Rex in Paris on June 2 before opening in theaters across the United States on June 12. So far, it has earned $6.6 million worldwide. Although those numbers are still early, industry observers will be closely watching how the movie performs over the coming weeks.

Disclosure Day features an ensemble cast that includes Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo. The project was first reported in 2024 when news emerged that Spielberg was developing a UFO-themed movie. Universal Pictures later joined as distributor, and production took place between February and May 2025 across locations in Atlanta, New Jersey, and New York.

Despite the mixed audience score, critics have praised several aspects of the movie. Reviews have highlighted Spielberg’s direction, Blunt’s performance, John Williams’ score, the visual effects, and the film’s storytelling.

For Spielberg, the CinemaScore result may come as a surprise given his long history of crowd-pleasing sci-fi adventures. Movies like E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Jurassic Park became cultural phenomena because they connected strongly with both critics and audiences.

Whether Disclosure Day can build momentum through word of mouth remains to be seen. For now, the film has sparked plenty of conversation, with viewers split on whether Spielberg’s latest trip into science fiction lives up to the high standards set by his legendary classics.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!