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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialended up being more than just a movie, it was a cultural phenomenon. It made audiences both young and old laugh, cry, and probably wish they had a glowing-fingered alien best friend. It also proved that Steven Spielberg had the magic touch, delivering a sci-fi masterpiece that was as heartwarming as it was groundbreaking.
And no doubt it was a hit, with its massive box office success,E.T.had all the makings of a billion-dollar franchise. Sequels, spin-offs, maybe even an E.T. cinematic universe, Hollywood was ready to cash in. But Spielberg slammed the brakes, here is why!
What was Steven Spielberg’s idea forE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialsequel?
Steven Spielbergis no stranger to making box office gold, andE.T. the Extra-Terrestrialwas his first true juggernaut, a film that not only shattered records but also left a HUGE mark on pop culture. It wasn’t just a hit, it became a phenomenon.
With just one release, E.T. sparked a frenzy of merchandise, and rip-offs, and even inspired a wave of B-grade alien movies across different languages. From plush toys to lunchboxes, everyone wanted a piece of the little glowing-fingered alien.
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Naturally, with that level of success, a sequel seemed inevitable. Hollywood thrives on franchises, andE.T.had all the ingredients of one. Fans wanted more, studios were eager to cash in, and even Spielberg himself somewhat entertained the idea.
He brainstormed possible directions, and one that came into his mind was exploring E.T.’s home planet to answer all the lingering mysteries. At the TCM Classic Film Festival in New York, Spielberg revealed (viaThe Hollywood Reporter),
I just did not want to make a sequel, I flirted with it for a little bit just a little bit to see if I [could] think of a story and the only thing I could think about was a book that was written by somebody that wrote the book for it called The Green Planet, which was all going to take place at ET’s home. We were all going to be able to go to ET’s home and see how ET lived. But it was better as a novel than I think it would have been as a film.
Although the story was intriguing, he felt it was better suited for a novel. Moreover, with such massive success, a sequel risked tainting the magic of the original. Rather than diluting its impact, the decision to letE.T.remain the untouchable classic it is today was a good one.
Steven Spielberg had to fight hard to stop the studio from making a sequel!
Spielberg’s decision to block anE.T.sequel wasn’t exactly met with cheers, especially from the studio, which saw dollar signs in its future. Given the film’s massive success, a sequel could have easily turned into another box-office hit, walking away from a financial goldmine wants an easy decision.
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This led to a battle with the studio, as he firmly put his foot down to protectE.T.from becoming just another franchise. The director explained,
That was a real hard-fought victory because I didn’t have any rights, Before ET, I had some rights, but I didn’t have a lot of rights. I kind of didn’t have what we call ‘the freeze,’ where you can stop the studio from making a sequel because you control the freeze on sequels, remakes and other ancillary uses of the IP. I didn’t have that. I got it after ET because of its success
So, while Spielberg did toy with the idea of a sequel, he was firm in his belief from day one thatE.T.was a one-and-done story. No sequels, no spin-offs, just a perfect standalone classic. Even Drew Barrymore, the film’s star, recalled Spielberg sat her down and explained thatE.T.would never get a sequel. She completely understood and agreed with his decision. Years later, fans have also come to realize that Spielberg’s choice was the right one after all.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is available on Apple TV for rent.
Sampurna Banerjee
Articles Published :1803
Sampurna Banerjee is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, and she’s written over 1,700 articles! She covers everything from celebrity news to the latest superhero buzz, streaming shows, and fan theories. If it’s trending in pop culture, Sampurna’s probably already on it.When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her rewatching The Office (again), getting into debates about Marvel’s timeline, or diving deep into Christopher Nolan movies for the hundredth time. She’s not just writing about entertainment, she’s living it.
