Director Steven Spielberg recently shared how he prevented a sequel to his iconic 1982 film ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, calling it a “hard-fought victory”.

The director spoke about the 1982 blockbuster alongside star Drew Barrymore as part of a TCM Classic Film Festival: New York Pop-Up  x  92NY conversation on Saturday.

When the film (now available to own from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment ) ended up being a massive success upon its release in the summer of 1982, however, director Steven Spielberg briefly considered making a second movie called E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears.

The beloved family sci-fi film became the highest-grossing movie of all time when it was released in 1982. It held the record until the 1990s when it was overtaken by Spielberg’s own Jurassic Park, which has spawned a whole franchise worth of sequels and reboots.

Director Steven Spielberg resisted creating a sequel to his iconic 1982 film 'ET the Extra-Terrestrial'. Despite lacking initial rights, his conviction ultimately protected the story's legacy. Reflecting on collaboration with Drew Barrymore,

Director Steven Spielberg shares his ‘hard-fought victory’ to not have a sequel to his classic E.T.. And while I agree why it was better to not have one, the idea he had was still kind of cool. That was a real hard-fought victory because I didn’t have any rights.

Steven Spielberg is one of the most legendary directors, but he didn’t always have that clout. In a recent interview, he opened up about the hard-fought victory he earned by making sure no sequel to E.

Steven Spielberg fought to stop a sequel to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial being made. The legendary director had already made classics including Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Raiders of the Lost Ark before he moved onto the beloved alien movie,

Spielberg reveals how he fought to prevent an E.T. sequel, securing creative control and protecting the film’s legacy.