With Disclosure Day Dominating Cinemas, Steven Spielberg Concludes E.T.'s 44-Year Enigma
Zoom TV
Last updated: June 15, 2026
Steven Spielberg clarified long-standing fan theories about the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. He confirmed that the protagonist Elliott did not physically see E.T. again, but maintained a psychic connection through dreams. The director also revealed that E.T.'s final words to Elliott were a lifelong promise, not just a goodbye.
- The film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, released in 1982, tells the story of Elliott, a young boy who befriends an alien left behind on Earth. He hides E.T. at home, forming a deep bond with the alien and his siblings while evading a government task force. The movie, written by Melissa Mathison and produced by Universal Pictures, was made on a budget of $10.5 million.
- Globally, E.T. grossed $797.3 million, becoming the highest-grossing film of the 1980s and topping the box office for nearly four months. It received four Academy Awards, including for Best Original Score and Best Visual Effects, and two Golden Globes. In 1994, the film was recognized for its cultural significance and added to the US National Film Registry. Spielberg's recent comments suggest that the 2019 commercial featuring an adult Elliott and E.T. did not represent a physical reunion, but rather a continuation of the profound connection.
