There was almost a follow-up to E.T., but fortunately, director Steven Spielberg worked tirelessly to make sure it never saw the light of day.
Let’s face it, compelling sequels are few and far between. Every now and then, a sequel might shine as brightly as the original or even surpass it. Yet, more often than not, it’s wiser to let a great standalone film remain untouched, sparing us potential disappointment. E.T. is one of those iconic films that most of us could hardly envision having a sequel. Interestingly though, there was a time when those in charge were eager for a continuation. During the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, Spielberg shared, “That was a real hard-fought victory because I didn’t have any rights,” referencing his struggle to prevent an E.T. sequel (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Back then, Spielberg didn’t possess what they call ‘the freeze,’ a contractual veto allowing a creator to block sequels, remakes, or other derivative uses of intellectual property. Although he gained this power post-E.T. due to its tremendous success, initially, he was not in control. Spielberg emphasized that he “just did not want to make a sequel.”
He did toy with the idea briefly, pondering whether he could conjure up a compelling story. The only concept that intrigued him was inspired by a book titled ‘The Green Planet.’ It envisioned E.T.’s life on his home planet, allowing audiences to delve into his world. However, Spielberg believed it was better suited to remain a novel rather than be transformed into a film.
Imagine if a sequel had materialized—our cinematic world might be a bleaker place today. Thanks to Spielberg’s conviction, we were spared that fate. E.T.’s impact was significant, to say the least, once holding the title as the highest-grossing film of all time. So, in the end, things turned out more than all right.
