It’s almost hard to believe, but there was once a possibility of a sequel to E.T. Thankfully, director Steven Spielberg was determined and fought hard to ensure that never happened.
We’ve all seen it before: sequels are seldom justified, and while sometimes they manage to surpass the original, more often than not, it’s best to leave a classic film as a standalone to avoid disappointment. E.T. is definitely one of those films that seemed perfect as is. At the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, Spielberg shared, “It was quite a battle because, back then, I didn’t hold any rights,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Before E.T., I had some rights, but they were limited. I didn’t possess what’s known as ‘the freeze,’ which allows a creator to stop a studio from making sequels, remakes, or exploiting the intellectual property further,” he elaborated. “Thanks to the success of E.T., I managed to secure those rights afterward.” Spielberg was clear about his reluctance to make a follow-up.
“I toyed with the idea briefly to see if I could dream up a worthy story. The only concept that came to mind was based on a book titled ‘The Green Planet,’ focusing on E.T.’s world. We would’ve explored E.T.’s home and lifestyle. As intriguing as it was, it felt more suited for a novel rather than a movie,” Spielberg reflected.
In retrospect, avoiding a sequel was a blessing. E.T. was a massive box office hit, once holding the title of highest-grossing film of all time. Perhaps keeping it as a singular iconic film was Spielberg’s gift to cinematic history.
