Screenwriter David Koepp has shed new light on the ending of ‘Disclosure Day’, Steven Spielberg’s latest science-fiction thriller that topped the North American box office with a $44 million opening weekend.
The film follows a whistleblower, played by Josh O’Connor, and a television weather presenter portrayed by Emily Blunt as they attempt to reveal decades of government secrets about extraterrestrial life. Since its release, the movie’s ambiguous ending has sparked widespread discussion among audiences.
Speaking to TheWrap, Koepp explained that one of the screenplay’s biggest challenges was naming the mysterious rod-shaped alien artifacts recovered from crashed UFOs. The objects eventually became known simply as “the Device.”
“I was referring to it in the script as the Device, and Steven said, ‘Well, that’s what it is. Why don’t they just call it that?’” Koepp recalled.
According to the writer, the Device was intentionally left mysterious. While it allows users to see the world through another person’s eyes, its full capabilities are never explained. Koepp said that uncertainty was central to the story’s themes of empathy and human connection.
The screenwriter also discussed the film’s final scene, which ends abruptly after Emily Blunt’s character says a single word: ‘Listen’.
Koepp revealed that the word was present from the earliest draft of the screenplay. He said it carries multiple meanings, encouraging people not only to hear the alien’s message but also to listen to one another. He also noted its significance in Hebrew prayers and in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’.
Despite speculation from fans, Koepp refused to reveal what the alien tells Blunt’s character in the closing moments.
The writer further hinted that the grey aliens featured in the film may not be the only extraterrestrial species inhabiting the world of ‘Disclosure Day’, suggesting that other alien visitors could exist beyond those shown on screen.
