In April 2024, it was announced that Steven Spielberg's next directing project would be a
UFO film based on his own original idea, with
David Koepp, who worked with Spielberg on multiple films, writing the screenplay. In May,
Universal Pictures was set to distribute. The following month,
Emily Blunt was reported to be in talks to join in the lead role. She was confirmed to star in August. It was reported that O'Connor was offered his role without having to audition.
Henry Lloyd-Hughes also later joined the cast without an audition. In March 2025, it was announced that
Paul Tazewell would serve as costume designer, in his second collaboration with Spielberg following
West Side Story (2021).
Filming Principal photography began on February 26, 2025, in New Jersey, Atlanta, New York City and Huntington under the title
Non-View. Subsequent casting calls in March 2025 sought background talent in the Hudson Valley area of New York state and the Middlesex County area of New Jersey; the Middlesex County casting call exclusively requested participants who could drive their own vehicles in the film, while the Hudson Valley casting call also requested actors to play diner patrons and hotel guests. Additional casting calls sought actors to play North Korean soldiers. Filming was also conducted in March 2025 on the
Cape May Seashore Lines railroad in southern New Jersey. In early April, filming took place in the
McGinley Square neighborhood of Jersey City. ==Soundtrack==