E.T.'s Original Elliott Actor Was Not A Fan Of The Comedic Expressions In The Movie's Re-Release
Out of all of Steven Spielberg's flops and blockbusters, there is no denying that "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" ranks high in terms of critical acclaim (via Rotten Tomatoes) and box office return (via Box Office mojo). The sci-fi film released in 1982 continued to garner attention years after it debuted with an extended version of the motion picture released 20 years later that not many like, including the actor who played Elliot in the movie.
While many revered the version of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" that was first released, Steven Spielberg always felt that he had some unfinished business with the feature, and it was decided in honor of its 20th anniversary, that the infamous auteur would utilize the technology he did have at his disposal when the film was made in the early '80s. CGI from the talented folks at Industrial Light and Magic allowed for alternate versions of scenes showcasing more movement with the titular alien-like when he is running at the beginning and a brand new scene not featured in the original of E.T. getting a bath. Several other changes were also made, like removing the guns from the officer's hands before Elliot and his friends flew away on their bikes. The weapons were switched with walkie-talkies. The new take was also injected with much more comedy than the previous iteration.
Unfortunately, the fresh new look and humorous additions added two decades later didn't fly with everyone, including actor Henry Thomas, who starred as Elliot in "E.T. The Extraterrestrial."
Actor Henry Thomas believes nothing beats the original
Fans probably recognize Henry Thomas from his frequent collaborations with Mike Flanagan as he has appeared in "The Haunting of Hill House," "Midnight Mass, and "The Haunting of Bly Manor." He even played Dr. Mid-Nite in the DC series "Stargirl" (via IMDb). But before all of that, his biggest claim to fame came when he was 11 years old, starring in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." When discussing the two cuts of the beloved Spielberg film for its 40th anniversary, Thomas made it clear which version he prefers. "I'm a fan of the original, and I didn't like the changes. I wasn't as concerned about the guns and walkie-talkies, but I didn't like the comedic E.T. expressions that seemed out of place." Thomas told Screen Rant. "I'm glad that they went back to the original version. It didn't marry up with the other performance, it's like two different actors."
Elliot prefers original E.T. over the rest, and he isn't the only one involved with the property that thinks this way. Steven Spielberg himself told Ain't It Cool News in 2011, "When people ask me which E.T. they should look at, I always tell them to look at the original 1982 E.T." While the 20th-anniversary edition raked in $69 million at the box office, it was criticized by everyone from Rolling Stone to "South Park" (via YouTube). Some people may enjoy the crisp new look of the comedic redo, but it seems pretty clear that the original "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" is arguably the heavy favorite.