Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Sunday, June 14, 2026
Spielberg’s Disclosure Day Opens to $44M Domestic, $94M Worldwide
Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, a government-conspiracy UFO thriller from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, opened to an estimated $44 million domestically from 3,824 North American theaters this weekend, topping pre-release tracking of $35 million. The film added approximately $50 million overseas for a global debut of $94 million worldwide, representing Spielberg’s best domestic opening weekend for an original, non-franchise, non-sequel feature. Produced on a $115 million production budget with a reported $80 million in prints-and-advertising spend, the film stars Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colman Domingo, Colin Firth, Wyatt Russell, and Eve Hewson.
Sources: Deadline
How Universal’s Cryptic Campaign and Timely UFO News Fueled Disclosure Day’s Opening
Universal Pictures deployed an unconventional marketing playbook for Disclosure Day: at director Steven Spielberg’s insistence, the studio withheld all footage from the film’s third act, opting to sell on mystery and atmosphere rather than plot. Spielberg drove the campaign personally, appearing at CinemaCon, SXSW, and a TikTok headquarters event alongside creator Reece Feldman to reach Gen Z audiences. The campaign received an unexpected organic boost when the Trump administration declassified a trove of U.S. government UFO records weeks before the film’s June 12 opening, driving mainstream media attention that reinforced the movie’s premise.
Michael Jackson Biopic Surpasses Bohemian Rhapsody to Become Biggest Music Biopic Ever at $911.9M
Lionsgate’s Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson in his acting debut, has become the highest-grossing music biopic in film history, reaching $911.9 million worldwide and surpassing the $910 million total of Bohemian Rhapsody, the 2018 Queen biopic that previously held the record. The milestone arrives nearly seven weeks after Michael opened to $97 million domestically and $217 million globally—the best opening weekend ever for a music biopic. The film has also become Lionsgate’s highest-grossing release ever, topping all prior titles in the studio’s catalog.
Sources: Deadline
Obsession Becomes Focus Features’ Highest-Grossing Film of All Time at $224 Million
Obsession, the micro-budget thriller from Focus Features directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker, has become the studio’s highest-grossing film in its history, reaching $224 million domestically. Produced for approximately $1 million, the film defied theatrical conventions by recording ticket-sales increases in its second and third weekends outside of the holiday season—reportedly the first film to accomplish that feat since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982. Obsession opened to $17.2 million before spiking sharply in subsequent weeks. It has also become the top-grossing festival acquisition in box-office history, surpassing prior record-holders acquired from film festivals.
Sources: Deadline
Emmy Nomination Voting Hits Fever Pitch at Midpoint of June Window
The 2026 Emmy nomination round is at peak intensity, with the Television Academy’s voting window running June 11–22 and today marking its midpoint. This year’s cycle received 555 program submissions across 14 categories—a 7.5% decline from last year’s 600. Campaign volume has been staggering: the Academy dispatched more than 450 formal FYC invitations this cycle, and voters received at least 210 emails from the Academy in May alone. Studios and streamers have deployed diverse activation tactics, from food trucks and fashion shows to curated screenings and farm-to-table dinners, to court members in the final stretch.
Sources: Deadline
Backrooms Becomes A24’s Highest-Grossing Film in Studio History
Backrooms, the debut feature from 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons, has become A24’s highest-grossing film in the studio’s history, surpassing the domestic box office milestone of $100 million—a first for A24—while also setting the studio’s global all-time record. The horror film opened May 29 to an $81 million domestic weekend, itself A24’s largest opening ever, demolishing the prior record set by Civil War ($25.5 million in 2024). Parsons is the youngest director in history to have had the No. 1 film at the domestic box office. A24 did not disclose the film’s production budget.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres — Weekend of June 5–7, 2026
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scary Movie | Jun 5 | $54.3M | $54.3M |
| 2 | Masters of the Universe | Jun 5 | $29.4M | $29.4M |
| 3 | Backrooms | May 29 | $26.3M | $135.4M |
| 4 | Obsession | May 15 | $25.4M | $151.9M |
| 5 | The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act | Jun 5 | $12.4M | $20.3M |
| 6 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $10.0M | $155.8M |
| 7 | Michael | Apr 24 | $7.6M | $354.2M |
| 8 | The Breadwinner | May 29 | $3.4M | $13.9M |
| 9 | Pressure | May 29 | $3.1M | $11.2M |
| 10 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $2.8M | $215.0M |
| 11 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $2.3M | $59.5M |
| 12 | Power Ballad | May 29 | $1.3M | $1.5M |
| 13 | Tuner | May 22 | $0.7M | $3.1M |
| 14 | Passenger | May 22 | $0.6M | $17.4M |
| 15 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $0.6M | $428.5M |
| 16 | I Love Boosters | May 22 | $0.5M | $8.7M |
| 17 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $0.5M | $79.1M |
| 18 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $0.4M | $343.3M |
| 19 | Trainspotting 30th Anniversary | Jun 5 | $0.3M | $0.3M |
| 20 | Carolina Caroline | Jun 5 | $0.1M | $0.1M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend of June 5–7, 2026 (most recent confirmed figures — Weekend 24 estimates pending)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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