Steven Spielberg has declared he genuinely believes in extraterrestrial life ahead of launching his newest sci-fi blockbuster Disclosure Day. The Oscar-winning filmmaker, responsible for beloved classics E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, insisted that humanity is not alone in the universe.
Spielberg's Evolving Belief in Aliens
The 79-year-old director's fresh offering centres on a weather presenter, portrayed by Emily Blunt, who encounters a baffling alien incident while on air. The conspiracy thriller also features Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, and Josh O'Connor as a tech-savvy whistleblower attempting to leak classified government documents about extraterrestrial existence to the masses. The picture arrives nearly five decades after the debut of Oscar-nominated Close Encounters, which linked three individuals who encounter alien experiences.
Prior to Disclosure Day's arrival, Spielberg revealed his conviction that aliens exist somewhere out there. He told The Rest is Entertainment podcast: "I do believe that we are not alone in the cosmos, in the universe. As far as whether I believe that aliens are here and have been here, 50 years ago, when I made Close Encounters, I would have said seeing is believing. And I haven't seen one. I've not even seen a UFO. But today, with all the smartphones that are out there, and all the things that I've seen, and all the people who I believe, I believe the believers. I am absolutely ready to say that I do believe we are not alone here on this planet."
Optimism for Discovery in Our Lifetime
At the UK premiere of the film, the director told the BBC that he reckons aliens will be uncovered during our lifetime. He explained: "I've become more optimistic that people are going to be able to discover things that we have not been allowed to discover." His leading man Josh O'Connor concurred that there was "something out there" but insisted he didn't reckon we'd be encountering extra-terrestrial life anytime soon. Meanwhile, Emily Blunt declared it was "mathematically insane to imagine we are the only civilisation."
Spielberg's Alien Film Legacy
Spielberg is renowned for his alien-focused films. In 1982, he unleashed E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, chronicling a young lad who assists an alien marooned on Earth to return home. Like Close Encounters, that picture secured Spielberg a best director nod at the Oscars, plus a nomination for best picture. E.T. became his most successful box office triumph after 1993's Jurassic Park.
Rejection Led to Indiana Jones
Elsewhere in the podcast, the filmmaker disclosed his repeated efforts to helm a James Bond film over the years, confessing his rejection ultimately led him to another enormously successful franchise in Indiana Jones. He explained he approached Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli after Jaws became a smash hit for him in 1975. "I'd always wanted to make a James Bond film from the day I saw Dr. No, so I called Cubby after Jaws and volunteered. I said, 'If you need a director, I would love to direct one.' And he said no. Then Cubby called me again after Close Encounters came out, which was another big hit. A few years later, he said, 'We'd like to use the five notes in Moonraker.' And I said, 'I'll make you a deal. I'll give you permission to use the five notes if you let me direct a Bond film.' And he said no. But I gave him the five notes anyway."
He continued: "So they consistently turned me down - at least, Broccoli did. He never explained why he wasn't letting me into the Bond family. But when I told that story to George Lucas in 1977, when we were in Hawaii together getting ready for the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, he said, 'I have something better than Bond. It's called Indiana Smith,' which is what it was called at the time. He told me the premise of the Indiana Jones series, and that's how I got that job. So if they ever asked me to make a Bond film now, my answer would be: 'You can't afford me.'"
