Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day Can Save His Biggest Box Office Record From Certain Death

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Steven Spielberg is heading back to big-budget science fiction in 2026, and the first trailer for his new movie, Disclosure Day, has finally been released. The trailer suggests a thrilling mystery involving evidence of alien life and the worldwide impact of knowing the truth. Featuring strange animal behavior, advanced technology, and a scene of Emily Blunt’s character unexpectedly speaking an alien language on live television, the film promises a classic Spielberg-style sci-fi thriller.

This new film could be a return to big box office numbers for the director. While he’s still the highest-grossing filmmaker ever – his movies have earned over $10.7 billion globally – his last major hit was Ready Player One in 2018. Although his more recent films, West Side Story (2021) and The Fabelmans (2022), are considered artistic successes, they didn’t perform well in theaters after the pandemic. Returning to the science fiction genre might attract audiences back to the cinema.

And for Spielberg’s box office standing, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Steven Spielberg Could Lose His All-Time Box Office Title (& Win It Back)

Steven Spielberg is one of the most productive and successful directors in film history, and his movies have earned more money overall than any other director’s. The next highest-grossing director is about $2 billion behind him – and that director is James Cameron.

Steven Spielberg’s films have collectively earned $10.7 billion from 33 movies (not including his 1971 film Duel, as box office numbers aren’t available for it). James Cameron’s films have made $8.7 billion from just nine movies. Starting with Titanic in 1997, his most recent three films have each grossed over $2 billion worldwide, and his original Avatar has earned an impressive $2.9 billion, especially after being re-released in theaters.

James Cameron’s latest film, Avatar: Fire & Ash, comes out this week. Many are wondering if it can achieve the same success as the previous installment, Avatar: The Way of Water, especially since early reviews haven’t been quite as strong. However, even being considered in the same league as The Way of Water is a good sign, as very few films reach that level. Early ticket sales in China also suggest strong interest, which is encouraging given how difficult that market has become for Hollywood movies recently.

If the new movie Fire & Ash earns as much worldwide as James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron will surpass Steven Spielberg as the highest-grossing director of all time, by a significant margin. While Spielberg’s recent films haven’t performed as well, and Cameron’s Avatar series might not reach its planned five movies, Spielberg’s upcoming film Disclosure Day is expected to be a big success and could help him regain the lead.

Steven Spielberg Movie Global Box Office Total
Jurassic Park $1,058,454,230
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial $797,307,407
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull $786,635,413
The Lost World: Jurassic Park $618,638,999
War of the Worlds $606,836,535
Ready Player One $583,490,172
Jaws $497,165,413
Saving Private Ryan $485,035,085
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade $474,171,806
The Adventures of Tintin $373,993,951

Looking at worldwide box office numbers, six of Steven Spielberg’s biggest hits are science fiction films. While he’s known for directing a variety of genres, science fiction is what he’s most famous for, and the initial marketing for his new movie is highlighting that. So far, the team behind Disclosure Day is doing a good job of creating excitement and showing audiences the grand scope of the film, making it clear what kind of Spielberg experience to expect. Summer 2026 will have a lot of competing blockbusters, but if this film continues to gain traction, it has a real chance of earning enough to surpass James Cameron’s record – especially if Fire & Ash helps it get there.

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2025-12-17 19:29