It is 1982. You are sitting in a dark theater, and a shriveled, glowing-fingered alien is screaming in a toolshed. To a modern audience used to the ultra-sanitized world of "G" rated Disney+ fodder, Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece feels surprisingly... edgy. When people search for the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rating, they usually expect a simple "all ages" answer. But it’s not that straightforward. Honestly, the film is a relic of a time before the PG-13 rating even existed, and looking back, some of the content is downright jarring for parents raised on Cocomelon.
The movie officially holds a PG rating.
Back then, "Parental Guidance Suggested" was the wild west of cinema. You had a film about a lovable alien, sure, but you also had kids throwing around the "S-word," government agents in terrifying hazmat suits, and a climax that feels more like a medical horror than a family romp. It’s fascinating how we’ve shifted our perspective on what kids can handle. Today, we’re going to tear down why that rating exists, the controversy surrounding its 20th-anniversary edits, and how it holds up for families in 2026.
The Wild West of the 1980s PG Rating
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) was in a weird spot in the early eighties. You had "G" for the really soft stuff and "R" for the hard stuff. PG was the catch-all. It’s the reason Poltergeist—another Spielberg-adjacent flick—is also rated PG despite a guy literally tearing his own face off in a mirror.
In E.T., the "PG" rating covers a surprising amount of ground. First, let's talk about the language. Elliott calls his brother a "penis breath." It’s iconic. It’s hilarious. It’s also something that would likely trigger a higher rating or a stern warning in a modern "family" film. Then there’s the "S-word" used casually by the kids. It feels real. It feels like how 10-year-olds actually talked in 1982 when their parents weren't listening.
Beyond the words, there is the intense emotional weight.
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The scene where the government "invades" the home is terrifying. Spielberg uses low-angle shots to make the adults look like faceless, clanking monsters. For a five-year-old, that’s not "family fun." It’s a home invasion thriller. The E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rating doesn't quite warn you about the sheer trauma of watching E.T. turn gray and die on a medical table while Elliott screams in the background. That's heavy lifting for a PG.
Guns vs. Walkie-Talkies: The Great Edit Scandal
If you were around in 2002, you remember the "Special Edition." Spielberg, perhaps feeling the pressure of a more sensitive era, decided to digitally alter the film. He replaced the shotguns held by federal agents with walkie-talkies.
It was a disaster.
Fans hated it. Even Spielberg eventually admitted he regretted it. He realized that by softening the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rating vibes, he was robbing the film of its stakes. The agents needed to be scary. The threat to E.T. needed to feel life-or-death. Digital walkie-talkies turned a life-threatening pursuit into a strange game of cosmic tag.
- The 1982 Original: Federal agents carry shotguns. The tone is high-stakes.
- The 2002 Edit: CGI walkie-talkies. The fans revolted.
- The Current Status: Most streaming versions and 4K UHD releases have reverted to the original theatrical cut. Thank goodness.
The guns are a major factor in why the film sits comfortably in the "Parental Guidance" category. It suggests that the world is a dangerous place for a creature that doesn't belong, and that's a central theme of the story.
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What Parents Actually Need to Know in 2026
If you’re planning a family movie night, don't just look at the letter "PG" and assume it’s a bubble-wrapped experience. There are specific beats that might catch a modern kid off guard.
For starters, there's the scene where E.T. drinks a bunch of Coors beer. He gets drunk. Because of the psychic link, Elliott gets drunk at school. He ends up kissing a girl in his class in a scene that's a tribute to The Quiet Man. It’s charming, but in 2026, some parents might find the "drunk kid" trope a bit much.
Then there's the "death." Honestly, it’s one of the most soul-crushing sequences in cinema history. If your child is sensitive to medical distress or the loss of a pet/friend, you’re going to be doing a lot of explaining. The scientists aren't "evil" in the traditional sense—they’re just clinical and cold—but to a child, they are the villains.
A Breakdown of the "Edgy" Bits:
- Language: Multiple uses of "hll," "dmn," and the aforementioned "penis breath."
- Substance Use: E.T. and Elliott experience a shared drunken buzz.
- Fear Factor: The "Key Man" (the lead agent) is ominous for the first two acts. The hazmat suits are nightmare fuel.
- Emotional Intensity: The grief is palpable. It isn't a "cartoon" death; it feels clinical and hopeless for a good ten minutes.
Why the Rating Still Matters for Film History
The E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rating actually helped pave the way for the PG-13 rating we have today. A few years later, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Gremlins (both Spielberg projects) pushed the PG rating so far that the industry had to create a middle ground.
E.T. sits right on that fence. It’s too intense for a "G," but it’s too essential and ultimately hopeful for an "R." It occupies a space of "honest childhood." It acknowledges that being a kid is sometimes scary, parents are sometimes absent (Elliott's dad is in Mexico with a girlfriend, a plot point that adds to the "broken home" realism), and authority figures can be threatening.
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Critics like Roger Ebert argued that the film's power comes precisely from this realism. If you sanitize the rating, you lose the magic. The contrast between the wonder of the glowing heart and the cold reality of the medical equipment is what makes the ending's "flyover" so cathartic.
Final Verdict: Is it "Safe" for Your Kids?
Yes. But with a caveat.
E.T. is a masterpiece precisely because it doesn't talk down to children. It assumes they can handle complex emotions like loneliness, fear of the government, and the pain of saying goodbye.
If you're watching this with someone under the age of seven, be prepared to sit with them. Explain that E.T. is going to be okay. Explain that the "penis breath" joke is a "don't say this at school" moment. And maybe have some tissues ready, because no matter how old you are, that final "I'll be right here" kills.
Actionable Steps for the Best Viewing Experience:
- Seek out the Original Cut: Avoid the 20th Anniversary version if you can. The original 1982 theatrical cut (which is what’s on most 4K and Blu-ray sets now) has the best pacing and the intended emotional impact.
- Contextualize the "Bad" Words: If your kids pick up on the 80s slang, use it as a teaching moment about how movies have changed.
- Watch for the "Key Man": Pay attention to how Spielberg keeps the adults' faces hidden for the first half of the movie. It’s a great way to talk to older kids about "cinematography" and how a director makes you feel small or scared.
- Check Your Own Emotions: Seriously, if you haven't seen it in twenty years, you’ll be surprised at how much harder the "divorced mom" subplot hits you as an adult. Mary (played by Dee Wallace) is arguably the most stressed-out character in cinematic history.
The E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rating isn't a warning; it’s an invitation to a more honest kind of storytelling. It’s a PG that earns its keep by being real, messy, and ultimately, life-affirming. Don't let the "scary" parts keep you away, but don't go in thinking it's just another "cute alien" movie. It has teeth, and that’s why we’re still talking about it forty-plus years later.
Next Steps for Film Fans:
- Check the parental guide on IMDb for a literal count of every "cuss word" if you're particularly strict.
- Contrast this with Mac and Me if you want to see how a "safe" G-rated rip-off fails to capture the same soul.
- Look up the "PG-13" origin story involving Temple of Doom to see how Spielberg literally changed the law of the land for movie ratings.