This summer, theaters were packed with a wave of highly anticipated films. But which movies truly lived up to the hype, and which ones fell flat?
“Disclosure Day” is a science fiction thriller that was released on June 12, 2026, directed by Steven Spielberg, one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. The story follows a television meteorologist and cybersecurity analyst fighting against all odds to reveal the existence of extraterrestrial life that had been covered up for many years by the government. This movie received a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes (critics score) and a 69% on Popcornmeter (audience score), one of the most popular online review sites. This story drew inspiration from real UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) reports, the 1947 Roswell incident, and alien artifacts. The main cast includes actors and actresses Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo, Eve Hewson, and Wyatt Russell. “Disclosure Day” broke records for the Highest-Grossing Original Movie Previews of the Decade, Biggest Opening Weekend for an Original Spielberg Film, and the Streaming Debut Record for Peacock. PCDS Upper School Theater Arts Teacher Stevie Ray Dallimore was cast as an extra- Government Man- in this film. He flew to New York after hearing just two days after his audition that he had received the role. Dallimore says that it was a “top secret Spielberg project” and he wasn’t aware what the movie was about until nearly a year later. Dallimore had only good things to say about the directing style of Spielberg. “He always had this slight smile on his face. He was just a little bit mischievous looking…a very generous, nice, down to earth guy, but definitely on top of his game.” He also mentioned needing to view the movie again, because the first time he was in shock, but that it was really beautiful and well done and included a great cast.
Surpassing “Disclosure Day” in overall ranking, “Spiderman: Brand New Day,” released on June 31, received a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and 97% on Popcornmeter. “Brand New Day” was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, also an award-winning director. The story takes place four years after the ending of “Spiderman: No Way Home,” the third addition to the Tom Holland-era Spiderman franchise. It follows Peter Parker navigating emotional and physical stress after Doctor Strange’s spell made everybody forget his identity, triggering a mutation in his spider gene. Working alone to save New York City from various miscreants isn’t enough when a telekinetic threat arises leading to new alliances, reconnections, and fears. The main cast includes actors and actresses Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Florence Pugh, Tramell Tillman, Marisa Tomei, and Mark Ruffalo. It won awards such as the Highest-Grossing Film of All Time, Biggest Opening Weekend, Highest-Grossing First Week, Opening Theater Average, and Most Consecutive Weekends at No.1.
Another high-grossing box office hit this summer was the horror movie “Obsession.” “Obsession” was made on a budget of less than $1 million and yet it produced more than $500 million dollars worldwide. “Obsession” is a psychological horror story that follows Bear, a young man who develops feelings for his coworker Nikki. When struggling to understand how Nikki feels toward Bear, he makes a wish using a “one wish willow” to make her fall in love with him. The plan backfires, and Nikki becomes overly obsessed with Bear, making the story one of the most interesting plots in the 2026 movie lineup. This film received positive feedback from worldwide audiences, receiving a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was successful not only because it terrified many audiences with captivating performances, but also because it explored topics of love, control, and dependence in relationships that many were able to relate to their own personal lives. Though it received a massive amount of internet fame over the summer, many believe it will be talked about again in the years to come due to the overarching themes of desire and attachment and how it made many audiences question the consequences of their own wants.
Finally, “The Odyssey” was the biggest movie of the summer for many, especially to PCDS students who read the text in ninth grade English. “The Odyssey” was directed by Christopher Nolan and it followed one of the most influential literary journeys: Odysseus and his voyage home from Troy. The film brought up themes of perseverance, temptation, pride and respect toward one another. “The Odyssey” was both Universal Pictures and Christopher Nolan’s biggest movie ever. It reached the top fifteen highest grossing films of all time at $1.8 billion which many believe cements itself as an all-time classic. One of the most appealing parts of this whole movie was the unbelievably talented cast which featured stars like Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and even an appearance by rapper Travis Scott. The cast alone contributed to the massive amount of online fame that this movie generated. However, the fame didn’t come without some minor setbacks. Director Christopher Nolan credited Wilson’s translation as a major inspiration for his work, yet when asked about the film Wilson gave more critical feedback than celebration. Wilson felt that the film had changed Odysseus’s character by making him less intelligent and humorous which she believed made him less interesting. The film also changed several timeline events to make it more chronologically suitable for a film. Nonetheless, “The Odyssey” made headlines and turned heads, making it a spectacular addition to the 2026 summer blockbuster lineup.
