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Everyone’s convinced this huge 1980s family movie is getting a sequel -Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro
Fans have been discussing a follow up, over 40 years later.
![Everyone’s convinced this huge 1980s family movie is getting a sequel -Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SEC_199327054-afce.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
People have got excited over the possibility of a sequel to one of the most beloved films of all time (Picture: Universal/Getty Images)
Film fans have found themselves confused, hopeful and obsessed by a recent rumour online that 1980s movie classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is getting a sequel.
The absolutely iconic family film, directed by Steven Spielberg, was released back in 1982.
It introduced audiences around the world to lonely and troubled child Elliott (Henry Thomas), who forms a bond with a friendly alien he encounters, before summoning the courage to help him escape from Earth and return to his home planet.
As well as tugging at heartstrings, introducing one of composer John Williams’ most spine-tingling themes and giving a young Drew Barrymore her breakout role, E.T. also made us all long for our own flying bicycles.
A follow-up adventure was written by author William Kotzwinkle in 1985 called E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet, where everyone’s favourite alien returns to ‘guide Elliott through his awkward transition into manhood’ (let’s not dwell).
Original screenwriter Melissa Mathison also wrote a leaked 10-page treatment for a follow-up film, E.T. 2: Nocturnal Fears, with evil aliens kidnapping Elliott, but it got scrapped and that’s as close as we’d gotten to a full-length sequel.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial followed young boy Elliott (Henry Thomas) as he befriended an alien stranded on Earth (Picture: Universal/Getty)
The film, which came out in 1982, is considered an absolute classic (Picture: Universal/Getty)
However, Facebook page YODA BBY ABY recently got hundreds of thousands of fans hyped by ‘announcing’ a sequel called E.T. The Return to Earth.
It promised a return from original stars Barrymore and Henry Thomas, who played Elliott, as they ‘embark on a cosmic quest with E.T. to save Earth from ecological collapse and a universe-wide conspiracy’.
The announcement even had a claimed release date on it of summer 2025 and came complete with artwork of an older, more wrinkled (and rather creepy) E.T. gazing into the camera.
‘Is this for real??’ asked follower Christy Hogue underneath the post, while Angie Wright Clark added: ‘We must see this! Loved ET!’
‘Back to the cinema we go,’ added Louise Britton.
Sadly, there is not a grain of truth in this, as many others also pointed out in the comment section, with one even joking: ‘I think they got their ET from Wish.’
Director Steven Spielberg (R, pictured with E.T. composer John Williams) has spoken out against doing a sequel in the past (Picture: Getty)
This page is also the source for false rumours of a Bryan Cranston Heisenberg film, a Cars live-action remake and has even suggested Tom Hanks returning for Big Again, a Big sequel and Tom Holland starring in a new adaptation of A Clockwork Orange.
Spielberg is famously wary of sequels, having only been involved with them as part of the Indiana Jones franchise and for The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
‘My sequels aren’t as good as my originals because I go onto every sequel I’ve made and I’m too confident,’ he admitted to The New York Times in 2016, making him keen to avoid them.
While a dark treatment was written after the film’s massive success, no sequel has ever been made for E.T. (Picture: Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock)
Spielberg with stars Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas celebrating the film’s 20th anniversary in 2002 (Picture: SGranitz/WireImage)
Barrymore echoed his stance, telling E! News last year: ‘Steven Spielberg became like a father to me, and I remember sitting in his house one day and he said to me, “I will never make a sequel to this movie.”
‘And I really understood where he was coming from – something so beautiful and contained.’
For anyone mourning the loss of a possible second E.T. movie, there is technically a short sequel.
Original star Thomas made a Thanksgiving commercial in 2019 called E.T. A Holiday Reunion, which caught up with a grown-up Elliott, 37 years later, and his own family, as his long-lost friend returns in time for Christmas.
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