Box Office Mystery Solved: 'Disclosure Day' Blasts Off with $19M, Colman Domingo Teases Spielberg Secrets

The year 2026 is poised to be a landmark year for actor Colman Domingo, whose prolific career sees him starring in multiple high-profile projects. Audiences have already seen him in the hit Michael Jackson biopic, “Michael,” and he recently concluded his role as Ali in HBO’s “Euphoria.” Domingo also features in Netflix’s “The Four Seasons” and directed an episode of the series. This weekend, he takes on the role of Hugo in Steven Spielberg’s alien thriller, “Disclosure Day,” a film that not only showcases his talent but also aligns with his discerning approach to selecting projects.

Domingo emphasizes his selective process, telling Variety, “It’s a matter of taste. I’m very incisive when it comes to distilling what I think is useful to me.” He recounted how, as a young actor, he would challenge directors and producers, seeking to understand the collaborative environment and how each project would both fuel him and benefit from his contributions. This philosophy resonated with both Steven Spielberg and “Michael” director Antoine Fuqua, who actively engaged Domingo on what he felt he could offer to their films. Domingo expressed profound appreciation for such a question, as it prompts artists to consider their multifaceted contributions beyond just acting.

In “Disclosure Day,” Domingo stars alongside Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor. The film presents a fresh take on alien narratives, focusing on a U.S. government cover-up of extraterrestrial life and visitations. Domingo’s character, Hugo, is a corporate whistleblower who spearheads the “Truth Movement,” an underground network dedicated to exposing this hidden information. Domingo lauded Spielberg’s collaborative spirit, noting how the director immediately involved him in extensive research. Spielberg provided documentaries, footage, and studies on John E. Mack, a Harvard clinical psychologist who chronicled the experiences of individuals claiming extraterrestrial encounters, believing their accounts to be true despite academic skepticism. Domingo highlighted the societal paradox of believing in abstract concepts like magic and God while often dismissing the idea of UAPs and UFOs as foreign.

The film delves into how the concept of extraterrestrial existence is exploited for financial gain, with corporations withholding information for profit. Hugo’s character, however, believes the world deserves this knowledge, asserting that it could ultimately better humanity. Reflecting on his experience working on a Spielberg set with actors like Blunt, O’Connor, and Eve Hewson, Domingo admitted to moments of profound awe. He found it particularly beautiful to still be awed by his collaborators late in his career, attributing this “playground of imagination” to Spielberg’s vision, which invites both the cast and audience to contemplate non-human entities and the potential transformative power of such a discovery.

Personally, Colman Domingo unequivocally believes in aliens. While he doesn’t presume to know their appearance, nature, or objectives, he firmly believes “there has to be more. It can’t just be us.” He expresses a hopeful expectation that humanity will eventually connect with whatever the unknown brings, believing it could be beneficial for all.

“Disclosure Day” made a significant impact at the box office, making first contact with theaters on Friday and securing the No. 1 spot on the domestic charts. The sci-fi thriller grossed $19 million on its opening day from 3,824 North American theaters and is projected to reach $44 million by the end of its opening weekend. Produced by Universal with a budget of $115 million, the film will need sustained performance to achieve profitability. However, Spielberg has a consistent track record of blockbusters that open steadily and accumulate impressive final tallies, as seen with 2005’s “War of the Worlds” ($64 million opening, $603 million worldwide total) and 2018’s “Ready Player One” ($41 million opening, $607 million worldwide total). In addition to Domingo, Emily Blunt stars as meteorologist Margaret Fairchild, who becomes entangled in the government cover-up, with Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Wyatt Russell rounding out the cast.