History Trivia / ETTheExtraTerrestrial

** In 1994, [=McDonald's=] released a train car of E.T. in a spaceship as part of their Happy Birthday Happy Meal, which also included toys based on Ronald and Friends, ''Toys/{{Barbie}}'', ''Toys/HotWheels'', ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'', ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatians'', ''Toys/CabbagePatchKids'', ''Tonka'', ''Literature/TheBerenstainBears'', ''WesternAnimation/MuppetBabies1984'', ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'', ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', and the Happy Meal Guys.

* OldShame: Creator/StevenSpielberg came to regret the edits made to the film for the 2002 re-release and insists that people watch the original version instead.

** Elliot was originally going to lure E.T. into his house using [=M&M's=], but this proposal of ProductPlacement was ''rejected'' by the company's executive, [[ItWillNeverCatchOn who perceived the movie]] as having an AudienceAlienatingPremise. Instead, Reese's Pieces were used, and Hershey's sold so many Reese's Pieces that they were able to become a major competitor to the Mars Candy Company. [=M&M's=] are still used in the novelization.

* RoleReprise: When the second Latin American Spanish dub was recorded at Creator/SDIMediaDeMexico for the film's 20th anniversary re-release, Héctor Lee reprised his role as E.T., and is the only original cast member to make an appearance.

* DuelingDubs: Two Latin American Spanish dubs were made in Mexico City. The first was produced in 1982 at the now-defunct Estudios América, while the second was recorded at Creator/SDIMediaDeMexico for the 20th anniversary. Interestingly enough, both dubs feature Héctor Lee as the voice of the titular character.

* ColbertBump: Sales of Reese's Pieces candy '''skyrocketed''' after their inclusion in the film.

* TropeNamer: ETGaveUsWiFi.

* DeletedRole: Creator/HarrisonFord originally had a scene where he played the school principal, but Creator/StevenSpielberg decided to cut it, not wanting to be accused of StuntCasting (even though Ford's face was never shown).

** When Elliott insulted Michael (the script didn't actually specify what to say, just something insulting) the script called for Dee Wallace to yell at him angrily to sit down. When she actually heard him say, "It was nothing like that, penis breath!" her [[ActuallyPrettyFunny inability to keep a straight face while saying "Elliot!"]] was her [[EnforcedMethodActing entirely genuine reaction]], and they decided to leave that take in the movie.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: A game for the UsefulNotes/Atari5200, which was said to be more generic but ''much'' more playable than the 2600 game, was in development and practically finished, but ultimately pulled due to the terrible reception of the 2600 game, and the 5200 itself not selling particularly well.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Despite numerous misremembered parodies and pastiches, the original line from the film has always been "E.T. home phone," and not the other way around.

** Embassy Home Entertainment approached Creator/StevenSpielberg and Creator/UniversalPictures for the home video rights at one point.

* BeamMeUpScotty: despite numerous misremembered parodies and pastiches, the original line from the film has always been "E.T. home phone," and not the other way around.

* DuelingMovies: With John Carpenter's darker take on an alien encounter in ''Film/TheThing1982''. ''E.T.'' trounced it with critics at the time and at the box office. But both are held up as sci-fi classics now.

** Gertie's line "I don't like his feet!" was ad-libbed, as was her "Gimme a break!" response to Elliot's claim that grown-ups can't see E.T. (You can also hear her prattling away unscripted in the background while Elliot and Michael are showing E.T. maps and trying to get him to tell them where home is for him.)

* ApprovalOfGod: Surprisingly, Steven Spielberg not only signed off on the games concept, he actually ''liked'' the final game.

* MagnumOpusDissonance: {{Inverted|Trope}}. As seen from the quote on the main page, Howard Scott Warshaw considers it an honor that this is the worst-received game on the system, as in comparison to his best work, ''VideoGame/YarsRevenge'', he has "the greatest range of anyone ever on the machine."

* ChristmasRushed: Due to the timing of when the rights were secured, Howard Warshaw was only given 5 and a half weeks to make the game to get it out for Christmas.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: A game for the UsefulNotes/Atari5200, which was said to be more generic but ''much'' more playable than the 2600 game, was in development and practically finished, but ultimately pulled due to the terrible reception of the 2600 game, and the 5200 itself not selling particularly well.

* BeamMeUpScotty: despite numerous misremembered parodies and pastiche, the original line from the film has always been "E.T. home phone," and not the other way around.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Jock older brother Michael's introduction has him playing ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' without hinting at him having any geeky or creative HiddenDepths, which firmly grounds the film in the early 80s (the height of D&D's popularity as a fad) for fans of the film who are role-players.

** Creator/RobertZemeckis, Steven Spielberg's collage and friend suggested the closet hiding scene.

* UsefulNotes/AFIS100YearsSeries:
** AFIS100Years100Movies: #25
** AFIS100Years100Thrills: #44
** AFIS100Years100MovieQuotes: #15, "ET, phone home."
** AFIS100YearsOfFilmScores: #14
** AFIS100Years100Cheers: #6
** AFIS100Years100Movies10THAnniversaryEdition: #24
** AFIS10Top10: #3, Science Fiction

* UsefulNotes/ListOfFilmsYouShouldSeeByTheAgeOf14: #2

* CreatorsFavorite: Ever since the film's release, Spielberg has maintained that it's the one closest to his heart.

** The first choice to play Gertie? Creator/JulietteLewis. Her father made her turn down the role and Drew Barrymore was cast instead.

** Creator/StanWinston turned down the opportunity to work on ''E.T.''. He would regret doing so.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece:
** Averted nicely unlike a lot of 80s movies. You can tell it was filmed in the 1980s due to the cars, the TV, and the family owning an Atari 2600, but it doesn't stick out like other examples. Many of the pop culture references they make like ''Franchise/StarWars'' or ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'' are still known by today's audiences.
** On the other hand, jock older brother Michael's introduction has him playing ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' without hinting at him having any geeky or creative HiddenDepths, which firmly grounds the film in the early 80s (the height of D&D's popularity as a fad) for fans of the film who are role-players.

* AFIS100YearsSeries:

** Creator/HarrisonFord filmed a scene as the principal of Elliot's school, set after he frees the frogs, which Spielberg cut because he felt Ford's presence was too distracting.

** Creator/RobertZemeckis, who later worked with Steven Spielberg on ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'' and ''Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit'' suggested the closet hideing scene.

** Creator/CoreyFeldman was originally up for a role as a rival to Elliott, a dork named Lance who threatened to expose E.T. The character is in the book adaptation, but was cut from the script. Creator/StevenSpielberg felt bad about leaving Corey out and promised him a role in future films he would work on, and he would go on to be in ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''. and ''Film/TheGoonies''.