E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialis an iconic movie — one that only a fool would ever attempt to remake. However, there have been many discussions about a possible sequel to the movie,which celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. One person who has an opinion on how likely a new adventure for the lovable alien would be is the original movie’s starHenry Thomas, who played Elliot in the family classic. Having reprised his role in a commercial for Comcast Xfinity, does he see any potential for a sequel?
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialhas stood the test of time – and survived a minor CGI update – to be one of the most loved family movies of all time. For that reason, there was a lot of fuss whenE.T.returned in an extended commercial for Comcast Xfinity, which delivered a 4-minute return for the alien and Elliot over Thanksgiving 2019. The advert obviously ignored the fact that E.T. was last seen bidding farewell to Elliot and flying off home with his family, but it did spark a new debate about whether it was time for E.T. to return properly. While speaking toComicBook.com, Thomas believes that commercial is probably as close as we will ever get to anE.T.sequel. He said:
“There had been ideas kicked around over the years. There were some serious talks early on because the studio was really pushing for it, to follow up the success of the 1982 season…That’s why the commercial, I think Spielberg okayed the commercial because that’s as close to a sequel as he’s willing to go, as he’s willing to allow. The response for that Xfinity spot was so overwhelming and people thought it was a teaser for a sequel which created a huge, huge stir on the internet. I don’t know if it made it past the internet.”
Related:E.T. Actor Matthew De Meritt Makes Rare Appearance for Film’s 40th Anniversary
E.T. Sequels Have Been Discussed by Steven Spielberg
In the 40 years sinceE.T.’s release, there have been many insights revealed into how E.T. could have returned to screens in a sequel, but in an unusual turn, none of them have been pursued for fear of tarnishing the original movie’s legacy. One of the originally planned endings for the movie would have involved a shot of a communicator in Elliot’s room that would have left audiences with the belief that he still had a way of communicating with E.T., but this was abandoned as Spielberg felt it took away the emotional punch of the movie. Similarly, a sequel that was written in which Elliot was abducted by aliens and had to be saved by E.T. was thought to stray too far from the charm of the original.
While there are plenty of 80s and 90s movies currently receiving belated sequels, with Thomas and his co-star Drew Barrymore having both claimed it unlikely there will ever be a sequel, and Spielberg seemingly having no interest in returning to the movie in any way, it seems that E.T. is destined to stay home for good.
