Spielberg says humanity will discover alien life in our lifetime

Speaking at the film’s UK premiere in London’s Leicester Square, the 79-year-old director said his views on alien life have become “more realistic” over the years, but also more optimistic.“

I think people are going to be able to discover things that we have not been allowed to discover,” Spielberg said, before answering “yes” when asked whether humanity would find life beyond Earth during our lifetime.

The film, starring Emily Blunt, Josh O'Connor, Colman Domingo and Colin Firth, explores a world on the brink of confirming the existence of non-human intelligence and the efforts to conceal the truth.

Several cast members echoed Spielberg’s belief that life may exist elsewhere in the universe.

Blunt described it as “mathematically insane” to think humans are the only civilisation, while O’Connor said he was convinced “something is out there”, even if the mystery remains unsolved.

Beyond its extraterrestrial themes, Disclosure Day examines trust, secrecy and humanity’s response to the unknown.

Spielberg said the central message is one of empathy, arguing that confirmation of alien life could unite people in an increasingly divided world.

The director also addressed the growing use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, saying AI could be useful for practical production tasks but should never replace writers, actors or directors.

“It's great for organising schedules or finding locations,” Spielberg said. “But not to replace the writer, actor or director.”