Steven Spielberg’s next film has set a summer 2026 release date, which suggests he’s got something blockbuster-y up his sleeves. More here.
Last month we covered the widely-reported story that emerged online, stating that Steven Spielberg’s next film would be a UFO movie. This, of course, would mark a return to subject matter that has fascinated the directing legend throughout his career. Across films like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and War Of The Worlds, Steven Spielberg often explored very personal and intimate themes set against the vast backdrop of the infinite and unknowable mysteries of the universe.
The other thing these films all had in common was that they made a lot of money, embellishing Spielberg’s status as a major box office draw. That was a reputation that he first established in 1975 with Jaws, a film that is generally regarded as the original template for the summer blockbuster. If fresh reports are anything to go by, it looks like the original king of the summer blockbuster might just be coming back to show us how it’s done considering that Universal has announced that the filmmaker’s next project will be an ‘unannounced event film’ and that it will debut in May of 2026.
From the choice of date to the the choice use of the phrase ‘event film’, the little we know here points towards this being a project aimed for mass appeal.
We haven’t seen a Spielberg film set for a May opening since 2008 when he released his fourth Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.
As for his next project, we don’t know too much apart from the fact that it involves UFOs. We do know that he’s been working with Jurassic Park (and this image for this article is Spielberg promoting that film) scribe David Koepp, marking another clear link back to Spielberg’s history of summer successes. Beyond that though, nothing else has been revealed or leaked. We’ll just have to sit tight until we hear more. Just the thought of Spielberg returning to take another shot at summer box office glory is a nice thought though and as soon as we hear more about this project, we’ll let you know.
As for competition, it could be pretty stiff. Spielberg’s movie will be sandwiched in between Marvel Studios Avengers film on 1st May, and the next Star Wars film The Mandalorian And Grogu on 22nd May. That’s two mighty franchises to contend with, especially if the director’s film isn’t a project based on widely-recognised franchise. However, this is Spielberg and only a fool would bet against him given his past successes in this arena. We’ll bring you more on this one as we hear it.
