Mixed Reviews and ‘Toy Story 5’ Push Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Box Office Into Trouble

Steven Spielberg’s return to original science fiction filmmaking arrived in theaters this summer with considerable fanfare, and ‘Disclosure Day’ carried the kind of anticipation that only a true blockbuster auteur can generate.

The film stars Emily Blunt as a small market meteorologist pulled into a sprawling government conspiracy, alongside a supporting cast that leans into Spielberg’s classic mix of wonder and unease. For longtime fans, it represented the director’s first true summer tentpole since ‘Ready Player One’ nearly a decade ago.

Universal leaned heavily into the film’s pedigree, betting that Spielberg’s name alone could carry an original story without any built in franchise behind it. That bet appeared to pay off out of the gate, with ‘Disclosure Day’ opening domestically well above early industry forecasts and posting a strong worldwide debut. Audiences handed the film a tepid B grade on CinemaScore though, a sign that reaction inside theaters was more divided than the early numbers suggested.

Now the film’s second weekend results are in, and they tell a much rougher story. According to figures shared by box office tracker Luiz Fernando, ‘Disclosure Day’ pulled in roughly $17 million over its second three day weekend, a steep 61.8 percent drop from its opening frame despite a Father’s Day holiday cushion. That slide pushed the film’s domestic total to $78.3 million, a milestone that still falls short of the kind of staying power Universal had been hoping to see.

The decline becomes even more pronounced when measured against other big budget genre titles. ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ dropped just 56.4 percent in its second weekend on its way to a $25.5 million frame, while ‘Interstellar’ fell only 40.4 percent for a $28.3 million second weekend. ‘Ready Player One’ slipped 41 percent to $24.6 million, and ‘Gladiator II’ held up best of all with a 43.6 percent dip to $31 million, though that result landed during the Thanksgiving holiday window.

A big part of the problem has little to do with ‘Disclosure Day’ itself. ‘Toy Story 5’ opened in the very same frame and immediately swallowed up a large share of the premium large format screens that Spielberg’s film had relied on for its biggest grosses during its debut. With Pixar’s sequel dominating multiplexes across the country, the alien conspiracy thriller found itself fighting for breathing room instead of building on its early momentum.

Trade analysts had already flagged this exact risk before the second weekend numbers came in. According to analysis from The Ankler, the film effectively needs to triple its opening weekend gross to justify its budget on a purely theatrical basis, a target that grew harder to hit once the B CinemaScore signaled limited repeat viewership. With a reported $115 million production budget and another $80 million spent on marketing, that math leaves little room for error.

Despite the rough second act, ‘Disclosure Day’ has still crossed the $100 million mark domestically, and most trackers expect it to land somewhere between $105 million and $120 million by the end of its North American run.

Some trade outlets have floated an even wider window, suggesting the film could ultimately settle anywhere from $115 million to $150 million if international audiences keep showing up in strong numbers. Worldwide, the film has already cleared $150 million, leaving real ground still to cover before it reaches the roughly $300 million mark Universal needs to break even.

For Spielberg, the numbers are a reminder of just how unforgiving the modern box office can be, even for one of the most celebrated directors alive. His earlier sci-fi efforts like ‘Minority Report’ and ‘War of the Worlds’ built steadier multiples over time, and whether ‘Disclosure Day’ can find a similar path now depends largely on whether counterprogrammed audiences stick with it through the rest of the summer.

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