The Setting: Kansas City
Based on the trailer, Disclosure Day is set primarily in Kansas City, where Emily Blunt's character works as a local meteorologist. The heartland setting is significant — Spielberg often grounds extraordinary events in ordinary American locations.
Kansas City TV Station
The central location where the "disclosure" event occurs. Emily Blunt's meteorologist character is delivering a routine weather report when she becomes possessed by an alien presence, broadcast live to the city.
Spielberg's Location Philosophy
Spielberg has historically favored real American locations over generic studio settings:
- Close Encounters — Devil's Tower, Wyoming; Muncie, Indiana
- E.T. — Suburban California neighborhoods
- War of the Worlds — New Jersey, New York area
Kansas City fits this pattern — a real American city with real people facing the unimaginable.
Production Locations
While the film is set in Kansas City, actual production details remain under wraps. Spielberg typically shoots on location when possible but uses studio facilities for controlled environments like the TV station interior.
Why Kansas City?
The choice of Kansas City is likely deliberate:
- Geographic center — Heart of America, symbolically significant
- Everyman setting — Relatable, not coastal elite
- Weather relevance — The Midwest and weather culture (tornadoes, storm chasing)
- Media market — Local TV stations that millions of Americans recognize