Steven Spielberg in an interview
By
Shawn S. Lealos
Published 51 minutes ago
Shawn S. Lealos is an entertainment writer who is a voting member of the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle. He has written for Screen Rant, CBR, ComicBook, The Direct, The Sportster, Chud, 411mania, Renegade Cinema, Yahoo Movies, and many more.
Shawn has a bachelor's degree in professional writing and a minor in film studies from the University of Oklahoma. He also has won numerous awards, including several Columbia Gold Circle Awards and an SPJ honor. He also wrote Dollar Deal: The Story of the Stephen King Dollar Baby Filmmakers, the first official book about the Dollar Baby film program. Shawn is also currently writing his first fiction novel under a pen name, based in the fantasy genre.
To learn more, visit his website at shawnlealos.net.
Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapSteven Spielberg has a new sci-fi alien movie coming in 2026 called Disclosure Day. The new Disclosure Day trailer shows that aliens might have been on Earth for a long time, and there are some people who want to open humanity's eyes, even if the forces of the United States government want them to remain hidden.
The idea of Steven Spielberg returning to alien-based sci-fi movies is exciting. He directed some masterpieces, with two about peaceful aliens, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and one about evil aliens in War of the Worlds. One of those movies ruined the box office of two other sci-fi classics.
Steven Spielberg Released His Best Alien Movie In 1982
Henry Thomas as Elliott and ET looking at the sky in ET
In 1982, Steven Spielberg released his alien sci-fi masterpiece, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. While some still consider Close Encounters of the Third Kind to be the better movie, when it comes to critical acclaim and box office, nothing beats E.T. Critics loved both films, but nothing hit the cultural zeitgeist like E.T. in 1982.
E.T. tells the story of an alien scientist who arrives on Earth to collect samples and ends up accidentally getting left behind when government agents try to capture the aliens. This alien then meets a young boy named Elliott and befriends him as he hides from the government, which wants to do bad things to him.
The entire theme is that E.T. just wants to return home, while the U.S. government would rather capture and contain him, possibly killing and dissecting him to learn more. It was a scary story, but thanks to Spielberg's direction and the idea of a young boy helping this alien, it became a beloved family sci-fi classic.
In 1983, E.T. surpassed Star Wars as the highest-grossing movie of all time, and it had made $619 million by the end of its initial theatrical run. When adjusted for inflation, that is $2.3 billion, which shows how big this Spielberg classic was when it was released in the 80s.
Its reach went beyond even that. Since E.T. included Reese's Pieces, it's reported that The Hershey Company's profits rose 65% thanks to the product placement. There was even a fan club, with a newsletter, and even a vinyl record with sound clips. With merchandise and then future re-releases, E.T. remains a beloved classic over 40 years later.
E.T. Was A Big Reason Blade Runner & The Thing Flopped
Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard with a gun in Blade Runner
While everyone loved E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, its success hurt two other sci-fi movies from that year. E.T. gave the public a lovable alien to latch onto, and it offered peace in a turbulent time during the Cold War. The other sci-fi releases that year provided the opposite feeling, and both flopped as a result.
Ridley Scott directed the sci-fi noir Blade Runner. This movie starred Harrison Ford, who was riding the popularity of his role of Han Solo in Star Wars. However, here, he was a law enforcement officer who hunted down replicant clones and killed them when they tried to assert a willingness to live free lives.
John Carpenter directed the sci-fi horror movie The Thing. This was a terrifying body-horror movie that had a murderous alien on Earth who could shape-shift into the people it killed, meaning no one could trust even their closest companions. It was like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but more horrific.
While E.T. was a monster box office sensation, Blade Runner only made $41.8 million on a $30 million budget, while receiving mixed reviews at best. Some critics blasted the slow pace of the movie, and it was one of the most misunderstood films by critics at the time of its release.
The Thing had an even worse release than Blade Runner. It made $19.6 million on a $15 million budget and received almost universal negative reviews. Things were so bad for this release that John Carpenter was removed from his role as director of the Stephen King movie Firestarter. Carpenter considers it a low point in his career.
The comparisons were what hurt Blade Runner and The Thing. While critics praised the optimistic and fun nature of E.T., they complained about Blade Runner's pacing and The Thing's violence. It seemed people wanted something happy, and when E.T. delivered it, they blasted any movie that tried something different.
Blade Runner & The Thing Now Stand Along E.T. As True Sci-Fi Classics
Kurt Russell as RJ MacReady in The Thing
There was good news. The Thing ended up as one of the rare movies that became a success more than a decade after its release. Thanks to home video and people discovering the VHS copies at video stores, The Thing received a reevaluation in the 1990s.
While it received terrible reviews when released, The Thing sits at 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with an even higher 92% audience score. Many publications have listed it as one of the best horror movies ever made, and it remains a beloved cult classic over four decades after its initial release.
As for Blade Runner, it has gone down as a masterpiece of the sci-fi genre. It has an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 91% audience rating. It's one of the smartest sci-fi films ever made, and is a perfect option for anyone who wants to watch a sci-fi release that has a message to deliver.
Alas, none of that takes away from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's brilliance. It wasn't E.T. that killed its competitors, but critics and an audience who wanted something happy at the time. With a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score, it's clear that it's still the best of the best, and there is a place for all three alien movies.
-
Movies
-
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
Amazon's Top Comics of 2025 Prove DC Has Beaten Marvel
Resident Evil Fans Shouldn't Miss This New Sci-Fi Survival Horror
James Gunn Explains How Krypto's Supergirl Return Is Different From His Superman Appearance
Martin Scorsese Highly Praises Guillermo Del Toro's Netflix Monster Movie As "Grand Opera"
Shorts
By
SR Staff
0:49
The Boys Season 5 Finale Might Be the Darkest Ending Yet for Homelander and Butcher
By
Michael Keene
0:50
DCU vs Snyderverse: How Netflix Could Help Both Sides Without Breaking DC Rules
By
Michael Keene
0:44
Henry Cavill’s Shock Superman Cancelation Explained… DC’s Real Reason Comes Out
By
SR Staff
0:47
Is Millie Bobby Brown Bound for the MCU?
By
Mallory Flory
0:44
Wake Up Dead Man’s smartest clues finally explained — the details everyone overlooked
More from our brands
Here's How to Watch the 'Alien' Movies in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)
The 50 Best Robot Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The 33 Best Shows on Paramount+ Right Now
35 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows, Ranked
The 30 Best Movies About Alien Invasions, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes
43 Years Later, John Carpenter Can Finally Answer The Thing's Biggest Question
The 10 Greatest Sci-Fi Masterpieces of the 20th Century, Ranked
Trending Now
Upcoming Vampire TV Show Will Be The Next Twilight
The Sci-Fi Movie That Is The Cinematic Event Of The Year Finally Arrives This Week
The Expanse Season 7 Is Already Here & Hits Harder Than the Show Ever Could
