Steven Spielberg may have found his lead for his upcoming blockbuster, and it’s an actress in high demand right now. Deadline reports that Emily Blunt is in talks to star in Universal and Amblin‘s upcoming summer tentpole, set to hit theaters on May 15, 2026. Ms. Blunt teaming up with Mr. Blockbuster himself? It could be a match made in heaven, and in several ways.
READ MORE: Steven Spielberg’s Next Film Will Hit Theaters On May 15, 2026
For one, Blunt is arguably in the best stretch of her career. She’s fresh off an Oscar nomination for her role in Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer” last year. And this year she’s already had “The Fall Guy” with Ryan Gosling, the latest movie by her husband John Krasinski, “IF,” and Benny Safdie‘s “The Smashing Machine” up next, which may get a December theatrical release. Blunt will likely land another role or two before Summer 2026, but potentially landing her first Spielberg is a coup for the actress, so hats off to her.
But it’s not as Spielberg hasn’t wanted to work with Blunt in the past. The director has been of fan of hers since she starred in Amblin’s “The Girl On The Train” in 2016, and he’s reportedly a fan of “The Fall Guy,” too. As for Blunt’s role in the blockbuster, that’s under wraps, as is everything else about the picture. But Blunt would be one of the two leads on the project, the other ostensibly a role for an A-list male actor. Stay tuned for confirmation on that.
Spielberg’s next movie remains a mystery, even to those in the industry. Based on a story by Spielberg, longtime collaborator David Koepp pen the script, with Kristie Macosko Krieger producing. News broke earlier this year that Spielberg and Koepp had a UFO movie in the works, but it’s unclear if this new blockbuster is the same project. If it is, theater audiences are in good hands. Spielberg is no stranger to UFO movies, and he and Koepp worked together on one: 2005’s “War Of The Worlds.”
As noted earlier, Spielberg’s blockbuster hits theaters on May 15, 2026, his first summer movie since 2016’s “The BFG.” So who will join Blunt to co-lead this mystery project? Stay tuned to The Playlist to find out.