There was a real possibility at one time that E.T. could have had a sequel, but fortunately, director Steven Spielberg put up a strong fight to ensure it didn’t happen.
We all know sequels rarely live up to the original films. Sure, there are instances when a sequel surprises us by being just as good, or even better than the first, but those instances are few and far between. More often, it’s best to leave a film as a single masterpiece, sparing the audience any disappointment. E.T. is a prime example of a movie that doesn’t need a sequel. Yet interestingly, there was a time when discussions about a follow-up were on the table. During the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, Spielberg shared that it was a “real hard-fought victory” to stop any sequel plans because he originally didn’t hold the rights to do so (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter).
“In the days before E.T., I had a few rights, but not enough to halt a sequel. I lacked what we call ‘the freeze,’ which allows someone to prevent the studio from making sequels, remakes, or other related uses of the intellectual property,” said Spielberg. After the overwhelming success of E.T., that changed. He managed to gain those rights because he “just did not want to make a sequel.”
Spielberg admitted that he toyed with the idea for a brief moment, exploring whether he could develop a story that justified a sequel. The only concept that piqued his interest was based on a book titled ‘The Green Planet,’ which would have explored E.T.’s home world. Yet, he concluded that while interesting as a novel, it wouldn’t translate well into a film.
In retrospect, it’s a relief that Spielberg prevailed in this matter. After all, E.T. managed to become the highest-grossing movie of its time, so it certainly didn’t need a sequel to cement its legacy or financial success.
