UFO Thriller by Kosinski Signals a New Era of Political Sci-Fi

Joseph Kosinski is no stranger to sci-fi films. His previous projects, Oblivion (2013), Tron: Legacy (2010), and Spiderhead (2022), speak for themselves. His recent film, F1 The Movie, earned an Oscar win in the Sound category, out of four nominations.

His untitled UFO conspiracy thriller ignited bidding wars last year among Amazon, Apple, Lionsgate, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Apple emerged as the winner. It is likely to partner with a traditional studio for the theatrical distribution of the UFO thriller by Kosinski, similar to their partnership with Warner Bros. on the F1 film.​

Possible plot details of Kosinski’s UFO conspiracy thriller

Written by Zach Baylin (2024’s The Order and 2021’s King Richard) and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the plot is under wraps, but it is described as close to All the President’s Men (1976) with UFOs. It is reported that it might involve the story of two men working in national security who uncover a secret program to recover and reverse-engineer crashed UAPs.

The story is based on a real-life incident in 2023, when former United States Air Force officer David Grusch testified before Congress that the government had been studying “non-human” spacecraft and pilots and was asked for consultancy on the project, as reported by Bloody Disgusting.​

Is reality catching up with Joseph Kosinski’s UFO thriller?​

UFOs (Unidentified Flying Objects), now called UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena), are the main highlights of the story. Both of them have been victims of conspiracy theories for years, and the discussions of political agendas.​

Even the film looks like it’s making a timely appearance when Trump had recently announced the US government would prepare for the release of files on aliens and UFOs after the Epstein files mayhem.​

Trump’s decision came after former US President Barack Obama told in a podcast that they are real, but they are not kept in Area 51, as per the BBC. Trump was furious and rebuked Obama for having done so. Now, the beans have been spilled, and Trump found that the public was showing interest and decided to release the files to the public.  ​

Though netizens have been calling the UFO files release idea religiously dangerous, the timing of its announcement hasn’t been officially declared, as the classified data would need an extensive, time-consuming review before it is released on social media.​

How UFO file releases could make or break Joseph Kosinski’s film​

If the US government files disclosures happen before the film, it would be a best-case scenario for marketing. It will give the feature a massive hype boost as public curiosity around UAPs will attract free attention.​

The film will have an instant relevance for political thrillers that gain traction during real crises. Above all, the film opens on the weekend, and curiosity-driven audiences will definitely show up to get explanations on the big screen.​

However, the film will be hurt if the US government files are disclosed before the film’s premiere. The film’s suspense may feel outdated, and people will compare fiction vs. reality with additional criticism on inaccuracies. The “conspiracy” angle might lose its edge if the mystery is gone.​

Truth or spectacle? The clash between Kosinski’s ‘science fact’ and Spielberg’s sci-fi vision​

Speaking of sci-fi, the director clarified that it is “science fact” and not “science fiction.” Kosinski’s approach is to dig deeper into UAP reports, military data, and whistleblower claims. The film might have a procedural, investigative, and probably journalistic tone.​

In addition to this UFO disclosure film, Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day (2026) is the upcoming film that mainly revolves around the question, “If UFOs are real, what then?” It is based on fiction, whereas Kosinski aims to find out if they are really real. Spielberg’s take on aliens will be a grand-scale spectacle, and the cinematic experience will offer a spectacle, but Kosinski will treat it as an investigation, focusing on institutions and secrecy.

When will the UFO thriller by Kosinski be released?​

Kosinski is currently busy with his Miami Vice reboot for Universal Pictures, set for August 6, 2027. No specific release date has been planned for the UFO political thriller as yet.