• Is an 'E.T.' sequel in the stars?

    Universal Studios

    Will "E.T." ever make a comeback? He almost did.

    By Courtney Garcia, msnbc.com contributor

    Despite E.T.’s epic journey back to outer space, there were apparently plans to have him return to Earth in a creepy sequel that never made it past the drawing board.

    In a treatment dated July 17, 1982 (read the .PDF), retrieved by Geek Tyrant, filmmaker Steven Spielberg and his writing partner Melissa Mathison wrote out a nine page plan to bring back Hollywood’s most legendary alien in a film titled, “E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears.” The storyline, written just a month after the first film hit theaters, begins with Elliott, Michael and Gertie out of school for summer, and attempting to keep in touch with pal E.T. via a communicator antenna on their rooftop.

    Meanwhile, a spaceship has landed nearby, steered by a group of evil, carnivorous aliens in search of a stranded comrade. Turns out they're a mutation of E.T.'s brand of aliens, and are at war with his kind. They kidnap and torment E.T.'s childhood pals, but eventually, it's E.T. to the rescue!


    While there certainly would have been an audience for the proposed continuation, a Spielberg smartly recognized it was more important to preserve the original legacy of E.T. than to create a branded enterprise.

    “Sequels can be very dangerous because they compromise your truth as an artist," Spielberg said, according to Geek Tyrant, "I think a sequel to E.T. would do nothing but rob the original of its virginity. People only remember the latest episode, while the pilot tarnishes.”

    According to Bangstyle.com, Spielberg also vetoed the sequel because the film “took a turn that was too dark for most audiences who loved the first film for its uplifting story and the power of friendship, even if two friends are separated by a galaxy or two.”

    In 2009, the filmmaker squashed rumors that a sequel was in development after the National Enquirer fueled the fire with speculation that he and star Drew Barrymore were working on a revival.

    “I'm never going to make 'E.T. II' -- 'E.T.' is a closed story," Spielberg said, according to Ace Showbiz. "It had a beginning, middle, and a definite ending, and we had nowhere to take it except to go home with him. Nor did I want to bring him back to Earth for a second time."

    Are you glad they left the original alone? Tell us on Facebook.

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  • Steven Spielberg returns guns to 'E.T.' for 30th anniversary release

    By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

    When technology advanced far enough to let audiences wean themselves from analog video cassettes into the streamlined world of digital DVDs, many cheered. But for some, those cheers turned to boos when some directors decided to use the new digital tech to rejigger some of their most beloved movies. George Lucas got dunned for making adjustments to his "Star Wars" films, and Steven Spielberg took some heat when he sanitized 1982's "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" in 2002 by putting walkie-talkies in the hands of the FBI men, and taking out their rifles. 

    Now, in time for the film's 30th anniversary, Spielberg has decided to mend his ways by un-"mending" the film. The guns are coming back, according to Vulture.

    As Spielberg told an audience at a screening last fall, he  knows that he erred in editing them out in the first place.

    "I tried (changing a film) once and lived to regret it. Not because of fan outrage, but because I was disappointed in myself," said Spielberg. "I got overly sensitive to (some of the reaction) to 'E.T.' and I thought if technology ever evolved (I might go in and change some things) ... it was OK for a while, but I realized what I had done was I had robbed people who loved 'E.T.' of their memories of 'E.T.'"


    So for the Blu-Ray of "E.T.," which will be released in October, the firepower has been restored. Just check out the new trailer (at the top, around :25 is when the guns appear) and the old one (below; they're replaced with walkie-talkies around 1:13) to see the difference.

    Do you prefer having the film restored to its original version? Let us know on Facebook!

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