Steven Spielberg Reflects on the Challenging Battle to Prevent a Sequel to the Sci-Fi Classic E.T.

There was nearly an E.T. sequel, but fortunately, Steven Spielberg stepped in to make sure it didn’t see the light of day.

Sequels are tricky business. We’ve all seen a few that truly earned their spot and, in rare cases, even outshined the original. But let’s face it: often they end up disappointing. E.T. is one of those films you just can’t picture having a sequel. Despite that, there was a point when some decision-makers were considering it. Spielberg, speaking at the TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up x 92NY event, shared the challenges he faced to prevent a sequel, “That was a real hard-fought victory because I didn’t have any rights,” he explained. (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Back then, Spielberg didn’t have full control over what could happen with E.T.’s world. He mentioned, “Before E.T., I had some rights, but I didn’t have a lot of rights. I kind of didn’t have what we call ‘the freeze,’” referring to the ability to stop studios from advancing with sequels, remakes, or other derivatives. Thanks to the success of E.T., he gained that crucial control afterward. Spielberg admitted he just wasn’t interested in crafting a sequel.

He did toy with the idea briefly, thinking he might come up with a compelling story. The only concept that surfaced was based on a book called ‘The Green Planet,’ which was focused on E.T.’s home planet. Spielberg considered letting audiences explore E.T.’s world, but he concluded it worked better as a novel than a movie.

In hindsight, it’s a relief that Spielberg stood his ground. While the idea of exploring E.T.’s home might have sounded intriguing, some stories are best left untouched. After all, the original film was once the highest-grossing of all time, so it’s safe to say its legacy didn’t need expanding.