ET Was Supposed To Get A Sequel That Would Have Been Terrifying

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has recently seen its 40th anniversary and it turns out that the movie was supposed to get a terrifying follow-up. 

The original 1982 movie, which featured the likes of Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore and Robert MacNaughton, had a budget of just over $10 million (£8.1 million), before turning over a huge $793 million (£644 million) across the globe. 

This meant the movie exceeded Star Wars and was dubbed the highest-grossing film of all time, therefore making it the perfect candidate for a sequel.

As reported by dexerto.com, the sequel, provisionally titled E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears, was put together in the form of a 10-page treatment by Steven Spielberg and the original E.T writer Melissa Mathison. 

Universal Pictures

The genre of the second movie would have taken the form of a sci-fi horror, with the movie’s plan being a pretty horrific one at that.

The darker movie was set to continue at the start of the summer holidays, with Elliot, Michael and Gertie all missing E.T., as the time spent with the extra-terrestrial creature reunited them as a family.

The movie pitch noted how their mum was now divorcing their dad and is instead in a happy relationship with Keys.

Earlier on, E.T. came back to earth, with the audience learning that his name is Zrek. Later on, a carnivorous group of his species, who are commanded by the malicious Korel, turns up looking for him.

Universal Pictures

In a dark turn, Korel and his faction kidnap the children before examining, interrogating and brutally torturing them - and this incident couldn’t be further from the meaning of acceptance in the first movie, which was a sci-fi adventure film.

Zrek then comes to the rescue, saving the kids and proceeding to cast out the evil creatures to a distant area of the galaxy. 

The film proposal then ends with the family bidding farewell to Zrek, as the final line reads: “There is hope in everyone’s eyes as they all, again, behold the picturesque departure of their favourite alien. Dreams can come true.”

Universal Pictures

Thankfully, this frightful follow-up to the first movie never came to fruition, with Spielberg previously telling the American Film Institute: “Sequels can be very dangerous because they compromise your truth as an artist. 

He continued: “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.”

What do you make of this darker sequel to E.T.?