Steven Spielberg Reflects on Preventing an E.T. Sequel

The director revealed he fought hard to stop a follow-up to the 1982 classic, citing creative and personal reasons.

Spielberg disclosed that he resisted studio pressure to create an E.T. sequel, a decision he described as a 'hard-fought victory' due to limited rights at the time.
He briefly entertained the idea of a sequel based on the novel 'The Green Planet,' which depicted E.T.'s home planet, but ultimately felt it worked better as a book than a film.
Drew Barrymore, who starred in E.T. as a child, supported Spielberg's decision, noting that a sequel could have invited unfavorable comparisons to the original.
Spielberg shared that working on E.T. inspired him to consider fatherhood for the first time, a significant personal milestone influenced by his experience with the young cast, especially Barrymore.
The 1982 film remains one of Spielberg's most cherished works, holding the record for highest-grossing film for over a decade and earning four Academy Awards.