You probably think you know exactly when the world first saw that glowing finger. Most folks point to the summer of 1982, and they aren't technically wrong, but the actual journey to theaters was way more chaotic than the "instant classic" narrative suggests. Spielberg wasn't just dropping a movie; he was fighting off a "dark" version of the script and premiering at a festival that usually snubs its nose at blockbusters.
The official e.t. movie release date for the United States was June 11, 1982.
It’s a date etched into the brains of every Gen X kid who ever begged for a Kuwahara bike. But if you were a fancy film critic in France, you actually saw it weeks earlier. The movie had its world premiere as the closing gala of the Cannes Film Festival on May 26, 1982. Imagine that—a crowd of high-brow critics in tuxedos sobbing over a puppet made of latex and car parts. Honestly, that was the first sign that Universal had something much bigger than a "kids' movie" on their hands.
Why the June 11, 1982 Date Changed Everything
When the movie hit 1,103 theaters across the U.S. that Friday in June, it didn't just open. It exploded. It pulled in nearly $12 million in its first weekend, which sounds like pocket change by today's Marvel standards, but in '82? That was massive. It stayed at the number one spot for six straight weeks. People weren't just seeing it once; they were going back four, five, six times.
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The summer of '82 was actually a bloodbath for sci-fi.
E.T. was going head-to-head with Poltergeist (which Spielberg also had a hand in), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and John Carpenter’s The Thing. Most people forget that The Thing actually came out just two weeks after E.T. and it got absolutely crushed. Audiences wanted the warm, fuzzy alien, not the one that turned into a dog-head with legs. The "E.T. movie release date" basically acted as a death knell for every other genre film that summer because it sucked up all the oxygen in the room.
The Re-Release Cycles and the "CGI Scandal"
If you missed the 1982 window, don't worry. Universal is the king of the re-release. They brought the little guy back to theaters in 1985, which was a pretty standard move back then before home video really took over. But the one everyone talks about—usually with a bit of a cringe—is the 20th Anniversary re-release on March 22, 2002.
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This was the version where Spielberg pulled a George Lucas.
He digitally swapped out the federal agents' guns for walkie-talkies. He also added a scene with E.T. in a bathtub that had been cut from the original '82 run because the puppet didn't look right. Fans hated the "clean" version. It’s one of those rare moments where a director later admitted he messed up. Spielberg eventually said he regretted the changes and that the original 1982 theatrical cut is the only one that truly matters.
Most recently, we saw the 40th Anniversary IMAX release on August 12, 2022. Seeing that bicycle silhouette against the moon on a six-story screen? Still hits just as hard.
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Beyond the Theater: When Could You Actually Own It?
Back in the 80s, the gap between the theater and your living room was a literal eternity. Today, a movie is on streaming in 45 days. For E.T., the wait was agonizing.
- The VHS Debut: It didn't hit home video until October 1988. That’s a six-year wait!
- The Price Tag: It launched at about $24.95, which was actually "cheap" because tapes used to cost $80 for rental stores.
- The Green Tape: To fight pirates, the original VHS tapes had a green plastic door. Very high-tech for the time.
If you’re looking for the best way to watch it now, the 4k Ultra HD version dropped on September 12, 2017, and then got a fancy "Gift Set" refresh for the anniversary on October 18, 2022.
The Weird History of "Night Skies"
You can't talk about the release without mentioning what almost happened. Before it was a heart-tugging story about friendship, it was a horror script called Night Skies. It was about a family trapped in a farmhouse by mean aliens. While filming Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg realized he didn't want to make another scary alien movie. He wanted something "spiritual."
He sat down with Melissa Mathison (the screenwriter) and basically told her the story of his own imaginary friend from when his parents were getting divorced. That's the DNA of E.T. If he’d stuck with the horror version, we probably wouldn't be talking about a legendary June 1982 release date; it would have just been another cult classic lost to the 80s.
How to Experience E.T. Today
- Check the formats: If you're a purist, look for the 1982 "Theatrical Cut" on the Blu-ray menu. Avoid the 2002 version unless you really like walkie-talkies.
- Visit the ride: The E.T. Adventure at Universal Studios Florida is basically the last "opening day" attraction left. It feels like stepping into the 1982 release.
- Watch the "Sequel": There isn't a movie sequel (thank god), but there is a 2019 Xfinity commercial called "A Holiday Reunion" that brings Henry Thomas back. It’s four minutes long and honestly better than most modern blockbusters.
What to Do Now
If you’re planning a nostalgia night, start by tracking down the 40th Anniversary 4K disc. It’s the closest you’ll get to that original June 11, 1982 feeling. Make sure you're watching the version with the original John Williams score—the one that won the Oscar in '83—because the timing of those strings is half the magic. Grab some Reese's Pieces (the candy that became a household name because of this movie) and turn off your phone. The pacing of 80s movies is slower than what we're used to now, so give it twenty minutes to breathe. You'll see why people stayed in those theater seats for six months straight.