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Hideous E.T. Animatronic From The Movie Is Up For Auction For $3 Million
The animatronic from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is being auctioned off for up to $3 million, despite its hideous appearance. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 1982 family sci-fi film was a bona fide blockbuster, becoming the highest-grossing film at the time of its release. The successful film also achieved widespread critical acclaim and even won four Academy Awards, including Best Original Score for John Williams' composing. Since its release, E.T. has become a cultural sensation, remaining beloved by viewers throughout the generations for its nostalgia, touching story, cinematography, and score.
Starring Henry Thomas as Elliott and Drew Barrymore as his little sister Gertie, the film follows Elliot as he discovers an extraterrestrial named E.T. (voiced by Pat Welsh). The boy and the alien go on to form a moving bond, with Elliot attempting to help E.T. contact his home planet since his health is beginning to decline. Later, the characters' friendship is put in jeopardy when the government seeks to experiment on E.T. Elliot eventually saves him from the lab and helps him reunite with his people. Due to E.T.'s impact on pop culture and regard as one of the greatest films of all time, it was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1994. Based on the film's historical significance, it makes sense that viewers would be eager to own a piece of that history, evidenced by a new item for auction.
Collector's Hype reports that an essential E.T. prop is headlining a new event, "Julien’s Auctions and TCM Present: Icons & Idols: Hollywood," which takes place on December 17 and 18 this year in Beverly Hills and online. Included in the exhibition is the animatronic that brought the extraterrestrial to life in the movie, officially known as "the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Hero “#1” Mechatronic filming model “actor."" The impressive relic, built in 1981, features 85 points of movement and was situated inside the puppet seen in the 1982 film. A feat of engineering and practical effects, the animatronic allowed the puppet to move and emote without the use of CGI. The item is being estimated at $2-3 million. See the animatronic in a video posted via YouTube by Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions above:
Will ET: The Extraterrestrial 2 Ever Get Made?
Though the animatronic is a rare piece of history responsible for breathing life into the iconic character of E.T., it's horrifying to look at without the puppet that audiences have grown accustomed to seeing. The item fittingly resembles a skeleton, but its realistic eyes make it even more unsettling. Despite this reveal of what was going on under the surface, E.T. remains a beloved cultural staple, and some have wondered whether the alien will ever return for a sequel. There were plans for a sequel, called E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears, as early as 1982. However, Spielberg decided against the idea in the end, citing a desire to preserve the sanctity of the original movie.
The film's star, Thomas, revealed similar thoughts to Spielberg's this year, though he expressed that a sequel may happen regardless due to E.T.'s lasting popularity. Even if a sequel never gets made, E.T. has been celebrated plenty over the years. In 2002, E.T. was re-released in honor of the film's 20th anniversary, featuring additional scenes as well as modified shots and visual effects, which saw some divisive reviews. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the movie, which not only saw a 4K remaster of the film, but also a book called E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: The Ultimate Visual Dictionary released in August, offering a behind-the-scenes guide to the film. In addition, fans of E.T. can revisit the classic movie on Peacock.
