In contrast to some of Steven Spielberg‘s most successful movies that led to long-running Hollywood series, the renowned director made special efforts to prevent any sequel to the movie “E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial”. During his appearance at the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter), Spielberg discussed the challenging struggles he faced in blocking the production of any “E.T.” sequels, highlighting the legal issues that were involved. “That was a significant victory for me,” the director stated, “because I didn’t own the rights at the time. Before ‘E.T.’, I had some rights, but not many. I lacked what we call ‘the freeze’, which allows an artist to stop a studio from making a sequel since they control the freeze on sequels, remakes, and other uses of the intellectual property.
Initially considering a sequel, Steven Spielberg experimented with ideas for an E.T. follow-up but ultimately decided against it due to the risk of comparison and potential criticism. This thought process led to the release of the novel “E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet”, which he believed was more effective as a book rather than a film. Drew Barrymore, who played E.T.’s human friend at the TCM event with Spielberg, supported this decision. She remarked that creating an E.T. 2 could only lead to comparisons and scrutiny of the original, which should be left untouched in its perfection.
1982 saw the debut of “E.T.”, a film that significantly boosted Steven Spielberg’s reputation as a leading filmmaker of his time. In its initial cinema release, “E.T.” grossed an impressive $359.2 million in North America, surpassing “Star Wars” to hold the title of highest-grossing movie ever made. Not only was it financially successful, but it also received universal praise. The film earned nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. It ultimately took home four Academy Awards: Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, and Best Original Score.
In terms of an E.T. sequel, fans have only encountered a 2019 Xfinity advertisement where Henry Thomas, originally Elliott, reappears in his role. The commercial shows E.T. visiting Earth once more after many years to celebrate the holiday season with Elliott and his family. Years later, Thomas shared with egmr.ru that he thinks this commercial might be as close to a sequel as Steven Spielberg intends, implying that an actual cinematic continuation has not been planned.
Because the story of E.T. holds a deeply personal significance for Steven Spielberg (as it was influenced by his childhood experiences following a divorce), it’s no surprise he took extensive measures to keep it as a standalone piece. A sequel could potentially undermine what made the original so unique and adored. Even though he didn’t entirely own the rights, Spielberg’s reputation and past successes (like Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark) granted him enough influence to convince Universal Studios to cooperate. With other successful films like Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List produced under Universal later on, these collaborations might not have materialized if Universal had gone against Spielberg’s wishes regarding E.T.
In Hollywood, legacy sequels are currently trending as studios aim to cash in on well-known properties by resurrecting iconic franchises for modern audiences. However, not every symbol of 1980s popular culture necessitates a follow-up movie. The film E.T., with its heartfelt narrative about a lonely boy forming meaningful connections in an unexpected place, is one such movie that shines best as a standalone piece. It seems nearly impossible to envision a sequel providing another impactful episode in Elliott’s story, and it’s fortunate that Spielberg chose not to make one that might have fallen short of expectations. The Xfinity commercial’s nostalgic journey was enjoyable on its own.
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2025-01-26 22:39