Spielberg revisits aliens, fear, and first contact in a new Daily interview
This preview is based on the episode’s published show notes. Steven Spielberg joins Rachel Abrams to discuss his new film “Disclosure Day,” why he keeps returning to alien contact stories, and what five decades of sci-fi filmmaking have taught him about humanity.
If you’re curious about how one of cinema’s most famous directors thinks about aliens, this episode looks like a strong pick. Based on the show notes, it centers on Steven Spielberg’s long-running fascination with whether humans are alone in the universe and what first contact might reveal about us. The setup spans his earlier films, from the wonder of “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” to the menace of “War of the Worlds,” and frames a recurring question in his work: not just what aliens would be like, but whether people on Earth would be prepared to meet them. That makes this sound less like a narrow movie-promo interview and more like a conversation about fear, hope, and human readiness through the lens of science fiction. The immediate hook is Spielberg’s new film, “Disclosure Day,” which the notes describe as another return to the question of alien life. He speaks with Rachel Abrams of “The Daily” about the movie and about what he has learned over five decades of making films about extraterrestrial contact. This is a preview based only on the published notes, so it can’t tell you how personal, philosophical, or film-specific the conversation becomes. But if you enjoy episodes about big ideas in pop culture, a filmmaker reflecting on his own body of work, or the enduring appeal of alien stories, this one seems aimed squarely at you.
About this episode
<p>Almost 50 years ago, Steven Spielberg directed “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” the story of an average man who discovers that humanity may not be alone in the universe. Over the decades, Spielberg has directed several movies about what would happen if humanity made contact with aliens. Would the aliens be kind like the title character in “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial”? Would they be cruel like the murderous aliens of “War of the Worlds”? And regardless of what the aliens were like, would we humans be ready to receive them?</p> <p>Spielberg returns to the question of whether we’re alone in the universe, and what it might mean if we’re not, with his new film “Disclosure Day.” Today, he sits down with Rachel Abrams, a host of “The Daily,” to talk about the film, and about what he has learned over five decades of making movies about aliens.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>On Today’s Episode</strong></p> <p>Steven Spielberg, director of “Disclosure Day.”</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Background Reading</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/11/movies/disclosure-day-review-steven-spielberg.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">‘Disclosure Day’ Review: Spielberg Plays His Greatest Cosmic Hits</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/07/magazine/steven-spielberg-movie-theater-disclosure-day.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">What Steven Spielberg Taught Me About Fear, Catharsis, and Being Human</a></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Photo credit: </strong>Paolo Pellegrin/Magnum, for The New York Times</p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>