E.T.
E.T. is an iconic science fiction media franchise originating from Steven Spielberg's landmark 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Centered on a 3-million-year-old alien botanist named Zrek who is accidentally stranded on Earth and befriended by a young boy named Elliott, the franchise spans feature and short films, literature, video games, tabletop board games, and theme park attractions.
Cronologia
Overview
Created by director Steven Spielberg and screenwriter Melissa Mathison, E.T. originated with Universal Pictures' 1982 cinematic phenomenon E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Over the course of four decades, the franchise has expanded beyond its original film into a holiday short film mini-sequel (2019's A Holiday Reunion), two official novelizations written by William Kotzwinkle, over ten video game titles across home consoles, PC, and mobile platforms, multiple board games, and Universal Studios' long-running E.T.
Adventure dark ride.
Origins
The franchise began in 1982 with the theatrical release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison.
The story follows Zrek, a peaceful alien scientist from the planet Brodo Asogi who is left behind on Earth by his botanist colleagues and befriended by ten-year-old Elliott Taylor.
The original film became the highest-grossing movie of all time for over a decade and saw major re-releases in 1985 and 2002. Following its massive success, Spielberg and Mathison drafted a treatment for a darker feature sequel titled E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears, but Spielberg ultimately cancelled the project to avoid tarnishing the magic of the original.
Characters
I PEZZI DI E.T.
Collecting
In the collectibles and retro gaming space, E.T. holds a unique status. The 1982 Atari 2600 E.T.
video game cartridge is an iconic piece of pop culture history due to its rushed five-week development, its role in the North American video game crash of 1983, and the famous buried inventory in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Toy and game collectors also target physical media such as the 2015 Lego Dimensions E.T. Fun Pack expansion figure and tabletop games including the 2002 20th Anniversary Board Game and the 2022 cooperative title E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: Light Years from Home produced by Funko Games and Prospero Hall.
Trivia
* E.T.'s voice was created using performances from Pat Welsh, Steven Spielberg, and Kayden Green. * Steven Spielberg designed E.T.'s long neck specifically to reinforce the idea that no human actor could fit inside a suit, although suit performer Pat Bilon also portrayed the character. * E.T.
gets his idea to build a makeshift communicator after reading a Buck Rogers comic strip. * E.T. loves Reese's Pieces, fruit, vegetables, and beer, but strongly dislikes potato salad. * The commercial failure and surplus inventory of the 1982 Atari 2600 game led directly to the famous Atari video game burial in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Films
* **E.T.
the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)**: The original blockbuster feature film directed by Steven Spielberg following a stranded alien trying to phone home with the help of a young boy. * **A Holiday Reunion (2019)**: An official short film produced for Xfinity/Sky where E.T. returns to Earth to visit an adult Elliott and his family.
TV Series
No television or streaming series have been produced for the E.T.
franchise to date.
Video Games
* **E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)**: Atari 2600 home console game notorious for its rapid development cycle and connection to the 1983 video game crash. * **E.T. Go Home / E.T. Phone Home! (1983)**: Educational and puzzle computer games for Atari 8-bit computers and the TI-99/4A. * **E.T.: Digital Companion (2001)**: An educational software title for PC. * **E.T.: Escape from Planet Earth (2001)**: An action-adventure PC game. * **E.T.: Interplanetary Mission (2002)**: A 20th anniversary action game released for PC and home consoles. * **E.T.
and the Cosmic Garden (2002)**: An educational simulation game released for the Game Boy Color. * **E.T.: Away from Home (2002)**: An educational adventure game released for PC. * **E.T.: Phone Home Adventure (2002)**: A children's PC puzzle game. * **E.T.: The Green Planet (2012)**: A mobile social-simulation game for iOS. * **Lego Dimensions: E.T. Fun Pack (2015)**: A toy-to-life expansion pack featuring E.T. as a playable character across multiple platforms. * **E.T. Pinball (2017)**: A digital pinball game released by Zen Studios in Pinball FX3 and Williams Pinball collections.
Books & Comics
* **E.T.
the Extra-Terrestrial in His Adventure on Earth (1982)**: Official movie novelization by William Kotzwinkle exploring E.T.'s inner monologues and alien lore. * **E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet (1985)**: Official novelization sequel by William Kotzwinkle following E.T.'s return to his home planet Brodo Asogi.
