120 Million Viewers, One Trailer
Super Bowl LX drew an estimated 120 million viewers on February 9, 2026 — and when the Disclosure Day trailer hit, social media erupted. Within minutes, "Disclosure Day" was the number one trending topic across every major platform. It wasn't just a trailer; it was a cultural event.
Debuting a trailer during the Super Bowl is one of the most expensive and high-stakes marketing plays in entertainment. Universal Pictures clearly believed Spielberg's return to alien territory was worth the investment — and they were right. The sheer scale of watching this trailer alongside 120 million other people turned it into a shared cultural moment that social media amplified into a full-blown internet meltdown.
Why Everyone Is Talking About It
The Disclosure Day trailer didn't just generate hype — it generated the right kind of hype. Here's why the conversation exploded:
The Close Encounters Theory Explodes
Of all the reactions to the Super Bowl trailer, one theory dominated the conversation above all others: the Close Encounters connection.
The spaceship design in the Disclosure Day trailer is unmistakably similar to the iconic mothership from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). The resemblance sent fan communities into overdrive. Within hours of the trailer airing, forums, subreddits, and film Twitter were flooded with side-by-side comparisons and frame-by-frame analyses.
The debate centers on three possibilities:
- Shared Universe — Is Disclosure Day set in the same universe as Close Encounters? Could this be a continuation of that story, decades later?
- Spiritual Sequel — Rather than a direct narrative link, is Spielberg creating a thematic companion piece? A film that asks "what happens after first contact becomes undeniable?"
- Deliberate Homage — Spielberg referencing his own iconic work as a visual touchstone, connecting Disclosure Day to his legacy without a literal plot connection.
Whatever the answer, the ambiguity is part of the genius. Spielberg has given the internet exactly enough to theorize endlessly — and that's fueling the hype machine.
What the Critics Are Saying
The critical reaction to the Super Bowl trailer has been overwhelmingly positive, with a few notable takes standing out:
World of Reel acknowledged an unusual tonal quality to the trailer — a sense that something beneath the surface isn't quite what it seems — while simultaneously recognizing that any new Spielberg film demands attention. That tension between unease and anticipation mirrors the film's own themes of disclosure and hidden truths.
Tom's Guide named the Disclosure Day spot one of the best Super Bowl trailers of 2026, praising its combination of spectacle and emotional weight. The trailer's ability to deliver massive sci-fi visuals while maintaining an intimate, character-driven core is something critics have highlighted as distinctly Spielbergian.
The consensus: even skeptics are paying attention. When Steven Spielberg returns to the genre he invented, the entire film world watches.
The Hype Timeline
Teaser Trailer Drops — Goes Viral
The first teaser trailer debuts online and goes viral within hours. Emily Blunt's broadcast possession scene and Josh O'Connor's whistleblower plea generate massive buzz. Spielberg is back in alien territory.
Colin Firth First Look
First official images of Colin Firth in Disclosure Day surface, showing him with electrodes attached to his head. The mysterious images fuel speculation about his character's role and connection to the aliens.
Super Bowl LX Full Trailer
The full trailer debuts during the Super Bowl to 120M+ viewers. Aliens revealed for the first time. Warships, crop circles, the Close Encounters spaceship, and global chaos. The internet loses its mind.
Internet Meltdown
The post-Super Bowl aftermath. Fan theories, reaction videos, frame-by-frame breakdowns, and the Close Encounters shared-universe debate take over every corner of the internet. Hype reaches a fever pitch.
Disclosure Day Releases
The film arrives in theaters and IMAX. Spielberg's return to alien cinema. John Williams' potentially final score. The event film of summer 2026.
Join the Conversation
The Hype Is Real
The Disclosure Day Super Bowl trailer has ignited one of the biggest fan conversations in recent memory. From the Close Encounters spaceship theory to Emily Blunt's viral possession scene to the "people deserve to know" message, every frame is being dissected, debated, and obsessed over. This is what happens when the greatest sci-fi director of all time returns to the genre — the internet doesn't just react, it detonates.
Want to dive deeper into the conversation? Explore our community pages to share your theories, predictions, and reactions with other fans counting down to June 12.