Steven Spielberg Finally Reveals If Elliott Ever Reunited With E.T. After Their Heartbreaking Goodbye
Few movie friendships have stayed with audiences quite like the one between Elliott and E.T. in E.T.: the Extra-Terrestrial.
More than four decades after the film first arrived in theaters, some fans have wondered what happened after E.T.'s spaceship disappeared into the night sky after that emotional farewell. Did Elliott ever see his alien friend again?
Well, Steven Spielberg has finally offered a definitive answer. While appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast to promote his new film Disclosure Day, Spielberg was asked if Elliott and E.T. ever reunited after the events of the beloved sci-fi classic. His response was simple and kind of heartbreaking:
“No, never saw him again,” he said. “But he did dream about him. So there was a psychic link between the two of them. If you notice that E.T. touched Elliott right here [points to his forehead] and said, ‘I’ll be right here.’”
That answer closes the book on a debate that has followed the film for decades. While Elliott never physically reunited with E.T., Spielberg's explanation suggests their connection never completely disappeared.
The bond they formed was strong enough to survive across worlds, living on through dreams and a psychic connection that remained with Elliott long after E.T. returned home.
It's especially interesting because E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was such a massive success that a sequel seemed almost inevitable. When it hit theaters in 1982, it shattered box office records and became the highest-grossing movie ever released at the time. Most franchises would have immediately moved forward with another chapter.
That never happened. Spielberg has previously discussed the battles he fought to keep a sequel from becoming a reality. Even though he didn't have full control over the property, he worked hard to prevent a follow-up film from moving forward.
At one point he toyed with the idea himself, but the only thing that ultimately emerged was a novel titled E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet. A theatrical sequel never materialized, leaving the original film untouched.
Of course, some fans might point out that Elliott technically did reunite with E.T. in 2019. Henry Thomas reprised his role as an adult Elliott in a holiday-themed Xfinity commercial that showed E.T. visiting Elliott and his family years later.
The ad was charming, nostalgic, and exactly the kind of thing longtime fans wanted to see. But according to Spielberg's latest comments, that reunion clearly isn't part of the official story. If anyone gets the final word on E.T., it's Spielberg, and his answer places the commercial firmly in the category of a fun alternate scenario.
Interestingly, Thomas himself has expressed a similar viewpoint. In a previously, he explained that the commercial is probably the closest audiences will ever get to an on-screen sequel, and honestly, that's probably for the best.
As much as fans love the idea of revisiting Elliott and E.T., the original film feels remarkably complete. It's a very personal story for Spielberg, one inspired in part by his own experiences growing up in the wake of his parents' divorce. The film captures a very specific emotional journey.
Not every classic needs another chapter. Still, there's something bittersweet about learning that Elliott never got another face-to-face moment with his extraterrestrial friend. Their friendship shaped both of their lives, and it's easy to imagine fans wishing they could have shared at least one more adventure together.
But Spielberg's answer offers a small measure of comfort. Even though they never met again in person, E.T. never truly left Elliott behind. Through dreams and that psychic connection hinted at in the film's final moments, a piece of E.T. remained with him forever.
For a story built on friendship, wonder, and emotional connection, that might be the most fitting ending possible.