Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ Lands $44.5M Domestic Debut, $93M Worldwide
Universal’s Disclosure Day, the original UFO drama from Steven Spielberg, opened to $44.5 million across 3,824 domestic theaters and launched to roughly $93 million worldwide, taking the No. 1 spot for the June 12–14 weekend. The result topped tracking that had pegged the start near $35 million and ranks among Spielberg’s best openings, exceeding the $41 million debut of his 2018 film Ready Player One. Internationally the picture drew about $48.8 million from 73 territories, with the U.K. delivering $7.6 million. Universal spent $115 million to produce and $80 million to market the film, which it says needs roughly $300 million globally to clear its costs.
How Universal Built a Late-Breaking, Spielberg-Fronted Campaign for ‘Disclosure Day’
Universal deliberately backloaded its marketing for Disclosure Day, breaking the campaign the week of release to protect the original story’s mysteries. Because the film is not a franchise title, the studio leaned on Steven Spielberg’s name to set it apart from the sequels and low-budget horror dominating multiplexes. At Spielberg’s request, footage from the third act was kept out of trailers, with the director noting that audiences have grown adept at spotting scenes lifted from marketing. Spielberg also promoted the picture more aggressively than recent works, appearing on Bill Simmons’ “Rewatchables” podcast and staging an event with TikTok filmmaker Reece Feldman to court younger moviegoers.
Sources: Variety
‘Masters of the Universe’ Tumbles 71% as ‘Obsession’ Holds in Fifth Frame
Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe dropped sharply in its second weekend, falling about 71% to land outside the top ranks after a soft start. Focus Features’ horror breakout Obsession, directed by a YouTube filmmaker, again outperformed expectations, taking second place with $19 million in its fifth weekend, a slim 25% decline, and lifting its domestic total above $188 million. A24’s Backrooms held fourth with about $11.5 million in its third frame, pushing its domestic cume past $160 million. The contrasting holds underscored how low-budget horror from online creators continues to outpace big-studio tentpoles this summer.
Sources: Variety
Fox Strikes $22 Billion Deal to Acquire Roku
Fox Corp unveiled a definitive agreement to acquire connected-TV company Roku for $160 per share in cash and Fox Class A stock, valuing Roku at roughly $22 billion in enterprise value. Upon closing, Fox shareholders would own about 73% of the combined company and Roku holders about 27%. Roku reaches around 100 million global streaming households, while Fox brings live news and sports rights spanning the NFL, MLB and the FIFA World Cup. CEO Lachlan Murdoch called it “a defining moment for Fox,” and Roku founder Anthony Wood will join the Fox board. The companies expect the deal to close in the first half of 2027.
Sources: Deadline · The Hollywood Reporter
Disney+ Greenlights Animated Fantasy ‘Journey’ With Obamas’ Higher Ground
Disney and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground are partnering on Journey, a music-driven original animated fantasy series greenlit for Disney+. The project marks Higher Ground’s first major production partnership since the Obamas announced in April that the company would wind down its eight-year first-look deal with Netflix to take a more independent path. Created by Matt Munn and produced by ICON Creative Studio with Disney Television Animation, the working-titled show follows a protagonist named Journey whose home city is imperiled when its protective energy shield begins to fail. Higher Ground is working with the newly rebranded Disney Kids & Family on the series.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disclosure Day | Jun 12 | $44.5M | $44.5M |
| 2 | Obsession | May 15 | $19.0M | $188.4M |
| 3 | Scary Movie | Jun 5 | $14.2M | $84.3M |
| 4 | Backrooms | May 29 | $11.5M | $160.3M |
| 5 | Masters of the Universe | Jun 5 | $8.9M | $47.0M |
| 6 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $4.8M | $165.2M |
| 7 | Michael | Apr 24 | $4.2M | $362.8M |
| 8 | BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Busan: Live Viewing | Jun 12 | $3.8M | $3.8M |
| 9 | The Furious | Jun 12 | $2.8M | $2.8M |
| 10 | Stop! That! Train! | Jun 12 | $2.0M | $2.0M |
| 11 | The Breadwinner | May 29 | $1.5M | $17.5M |
| 12 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $1.4M | $62.4M |
| 13 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $1.3M | $217.9M |
| 14 | Pressure | May 29 | $1.2M | $14.1M |
| 15 | The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act | Jun 5 | $0.6M | $23.4M |
| 16 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $0.4M | $429.3M |
| 17 | Power Ballad | May 29 | $0.3M | $2.4M |
| 18 | Tuner | May 22 | $0.2M | $3.7M |
| 19 | I Love Boosters | May 22 | $0.2M | $9.2M |
| 20 | Passenger | May 22 | $0.2M | $17.9M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend of June 12–14, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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