Artist Trevor Paglen has publicly noted a striking visual and conceptual overlap between his recent gallery exhibitions titled "Cardinals"—which explore UFO photography and lore—and the imagery in the trailer for Steven Spielberg's upcoming film *Disclosure Day*. Paglen suggests the film's use of cardinals as harbingers of alien life likely originated from his work, specifically a 2023 video installation profiling a former Air Force officer who claimed "Cardinals" was an internal code name for UFOs.
The incident highlights the porous boundary between contemporary art and mainstream popular culture, where ideas can migrate from niche gallery shows to blockbuster films. It raises questions about artistic influence, intellectual inspiration, and attribution within the creative industries, without any formal accusation of appropriation. Paglen's humorous public response frames it as a curious case of cultural cross-pollination rather than a legal dispute.