From “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” to “E.T.” and “War of the Worlds,” Steven Spielberg has spent decades defining and redefining the modern sci-fi blockbuster. So when he starts handing out praise in that arena, it hits differently. And in a new Empire interview pegged to his own return to alien spectacle with “Disclosure Day,” Spielberg used the moment to salute two filmmakers working at the top of their genre games right now: Denis Villeneuve and Zach Cregger.
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“Recently, I’ve loved the ‘Dune’ movies. They are among my favorite science-fiction movies, not just recently, but of all time. Especially the second film,” Spielberg said. “I think [‘Part Two’] is the best movie Denis has ever made. I cannot wait to see the third one. I’m sure he’ll show it to me early. I’m such a fan of his.”
Spielberg also connected Villeneuve’s version of Frank Herbert’s material to another filmmaker’s literary adaptation, comparing his approach to Guillermo del Toro’s work on “Frankenstein.”
“I love the [Dune] books, and I just think his tribute to the books is like Guillermo [del Toro] ’s tribute to Mary Shelley with ‘Frankenstein’: he honored Mary Shelley as I think Denis honored Frank Herbert,” Spielberg said.
On the horror side, Spielberg said the urge to direct one has always been there, but recent films have already satisfied that appetite for him—especially “Weapons.”
“I haven’t directed a horror film yet, and I’ve always wanted to, and someday I may. But there have been some great horror films out already that satisfy that itch,” Spielberg explained. “When I see a great horror film like ‘Weapons,’ I don’t have an itch I need to scratch. I see ‘Weapons,’ and it doesn’t make me want to make a horror film that’s as scary or scarier than ‘Weapons.’ It satisfies me so completely, it actually arrests my desire to someday make a really, really scary movie.”
Taken together, the remarks amount to a huge public endorsement of two filmmakers working in very different genre lanes, which must be a nice feeling for both directors. Spielberg, meanwhile, has his own sci-fi return arriving soon (and maybe a Western after that). “Disclosure Day” opens June 12, 2026, giving the director another shot at the genre he helped define in the first place.
