Steven Spielberg Sets Untitled Event Film at Universal for May 2026

Tony Maglio
·2 min read

Universal Pictures has dated an “untitled event film” directed by Steven Spielberg for a wide release on Friday, May 15, 2026. The story will be by Spielberg and the screenplay by his frequent collaborator David Koepp. Kristie Macosko Krieger will produce.

While no further details were shared at present, Variety reported last month that Spielberg’s next project will “likely” be “a UFO film based on his own original idea” and written by Koepp. The May 2026 release is Spielberg’s original idea as written by Koepp, and a Spielberg UFO film would surely be an event film.

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When reached by IndieWire, a spokesperson for Universal Pictures declined comment on the UFO detail.

Of course, most Spielberg films are event films, with many written by Koepp, including: “Jurassic Park,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” “War of the Worlds” (a UFO film!), and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Combined, those titles have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide.

In 2022, IndieWire (and others) reported that Spielberg was working on a Frank Bullitt biopic. Bradley Cooper was later set to star as Bullitt, the character made famous from the 1968 Steve McQueen thriller. That one was set at Warner Bros. with Spielberg slated to direct from a screenplay by “Spotlight” Oscar winner Josh Singer. It was intended to be a completely original story and not a remake of the original “Bullitt” movie by Peter Yates. Cooper and Spielberg were set to produce with Kristie Macosko Krieger; the same trio produced Netflix’s “Maestro.” McQueen’s son Chad and his granddaughter Molly were named as executive producers on Spielberg’s “Bullitt”

A source at Warner Bros. tells IndieWire that there is no update on the “Bullitt” remake. None of this sounds super promising for that project.

Spielberg is a three-time Oscar winner: Best Director and Best Picture for “Schindler’s List” and Best Director for “Saving Private Ryan.” His most recent film, the fairly autobiographical “The Fabelmans,” was also released by Universal. It was nominated for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, and four other awards, though it did not win any. Spielberg wrote that one with Tony Kushner, who penned “Lincoln” and 2021’s “West Side Story.”

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