Theory Thursday- Why So Many Sequels? (Starring E.T.)

a letter from George Lucas congratulating
Stephen Spielberg on E.T.'s success.

E.T. came out in theaters and did the impossible: it surpassed Star Wars box office success. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were both suddenly thrown into a massive success loop and in order to stay in that loop they had to come up with another box office success. Lucas started work on Return of the Jedi and Spielberg started a movie project that would be lost to time- E.T.: Nocturnal Fears.

Welcome to theory Thursday

The movie starts where we remember it ending last time. Elliot and his friends and family were now living a much better life after E.T. found them. Everyone had an idea of where they were going and who they wanted to be. Then out of nowhere Elliot’s dad came back from Mexico to file a divorce and then left again. Why? I don’t know. Why is this a huge shock to the family? I don’t know. It’s not like the guy was around anyway. And on top of that Elliot’s mom was dating the head scientist guy from the first film at the time anyway.

Why is this so much
darker than the last movie?
George always pushed Stephen
to make the second in a
franchise darker than the
first. After all, it's what
made Star Wars so successful.
E.T. trilogy?

So everyone is living just fine and then Elliot feels a sense of loneliness and wishes he was with his alien friend. On the roof of the house Elliot has moved E.T.’s communication device. It’s starts to act up and Elliot gathers his friends to go into the woods to see if E.T. has come back.

Turns out it’s the rest of E.T.’s race that is back and they proceed to capture and torture the kids. Elliot reaches out with the force (or something like that) for E.T. to come back and he does (Deus Ex Machina style) the bad aliens leave, Elliot gives E.T. a hug and they part ways again.

Why is this interesting? Because it breaks almost all the rules of good movie making. Coincidences are what save all the characters, there no lasting consequence is, there’s not even really an emotionally sad part. Plus we have this strange scene where Elliot is tortured. Say what?

I hear a lot of people say things like “there are no original ideas in Hollywood” and they are right to be a bit freaked out about things. When lots of sequels are being made we are in danger of something like E.T.: Nocturnal Fears happening. Consider this though: what are the movies you say you want to see? How many movies have featured Captain America and you still want to see him?

Sequels make a lot of money. how many
Marvel movies have come out and most
are still excited to see more?

Sequels make money. Reboots make money. All of this is not news. Originals make money. Originals are liked. This is not news either. Any artistic field goes through an ebb and flow of original and progressive works vs. reproductions. Music illustrates this very well where the early 50’s was innovative and then mid 50’s copied off them. 60’s were innovative and the 80’s were mass produced. It’s just how the economy works in the art field. It really depends on whether the director is in charge or the producer is in charge.

So are you worried about having too many sequels? Just wait a little bit. Original movies will always make a comeback.

Anyway- that’s your Thursday from me! To read the full scriptment of E.T.: Nocturnal Fears, click this link here (it's legit. you can find the same story in other places).

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