“That was a real hard-fought victory” – Steven Spielberg on what it took to prevent sci-fi classic E.T. getting a sequel

There virtually might have been an E.T. sequel, however fortunately its director Steven Spielberg fought arduous to make it possible for did not occur.

I feel everyone knows that it is fairly uncommon that sequels justify themselves. It occurs every now and then, positive, on even rarer events they find yourself higher than the primary one! However, for probably the most half, it is higher to simply depart movies at one and achieved to save lots of us all of the heartbreak. E.T. is one such movie that I might by no means think about getting a sequel, however because it seems at one cut-off date the powers that be needed one. “That was an actual hard-fought victory as a result of I didn’t have any rights,” Spielberg stated in reference to stopping an E.T. sequel whereas talking as a part of the TCM Basic Movie Competition: New York Pop-Up x 92NY occasion. (through The Hollywood Reporter).

“Earlier than E.T., I had some rights, however I didn’t have plenty of rights. I form of didn’t have what we name ‘the freeze,’ the place you may cease the studio from making a sequel since you management the freeze on sequels, remakes and different ancillary makes use of of the IP. I didn’t have that. I bought it after E.T. due to its success.” The director continued to clarify that he “simply didn’t wish to make a sequel.

“I flirted with it for a bit bit – just a bit bit to see if I [could] consider a narrative – and the one factor I might take into consideration was a e book that was written by known as ‘The Inexperienced Planet,’ which was all going to happen at E.T.’s residence. We have been all going to have the ability to go to E.T.’s residence and see how E.T. lived. Nevertheless it was higher as a novel than I feel it will have been as a movie.”

The world would in all probability be a desolate wasteland by now if we had gotten a sequel, so let’s be grateful Spielberg received out on this specific level. Moreover, I am positive it earned greater than sufficient cash provided that it was as soon as the highest-grossing movie of all time.