It’s hard to believe, but there was nearly a sequel to E.T. Thankfully, director Steven Spielberg was adamant about not letting that happen.
Sequels often struggle to justify their existence. Sure, there are those rare gems that surpass their predecessors, but more often than not, creating a follow-up only tarnishes the original. E.T. is the kind of classic that seems unimaginable to extend with a sequel. Yet, once upon a time, there was a push to continue its story. Spielberg, speaking at the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, recounted a “real hard-fought victory” to prevent this from happening since he “didn’t have any rights” at the time (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter).
He explained, “Before E.T., I had some rights, but not many. I lacked what we call ‘the freeze,’ which allows you to stop the studio from making a sequel because you control sequels, remakes, and other uses of the IP. I didn’t have that. I secured those rights after E.T. due to its success.” Spielberg was clear in his stance, saying, “I just did not want to make a sequel.”
He admitted to briefly toying with the idea, pondering if he could develop a new story. The only concept that emerged was inspired by a book titled ‘The Green Planet,’ which envisioned E.T.’s home world. Spielberg mused, “We would’ve visited E.T.’s planet and seen his way of life. But ultimately, I believed it was a better story as a novel than it would be as a movie.”
Imagine how different the cinematic landscape might be if Spielberg hadn’t stood his ground. The original E.T. became a massive success, once holding the title of the highest-grossing film ever. So, really, there was no need for a part two. Spielberg’s decision not only preserved the integrity of the film but also kept audiences from facing a potentially unnecessary addition to the story.
