Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment plan a major theatrical re-release of ET The Extraterrestrial in March 2002 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster, reported ABC online.
The re-release will include never-before-seen footage, computer-generated enhancements and a digitally remixed soundtrack. ET is my most personal film, and my greatest gratification has been to see how the film and ET became loved all over the world," Spielberg said in a statement. "Even though ET has achieved this special place in our lives, I always wanted to give audiences another chance to experience it as they first did, in theaters, seeing it again, or seeing it with their families. I also wanted to enhance that experience with advances in technology and some new footage."
"We are going make a big event of this," he added. ET opened June 11, 1982, with 1,103 engagements, and Universal Studios added screens each week until the number of play dates hit 1,778 after 10 weeks. The final domestic box office gross on the first run totaled $359 million, with another $40.6 million coming from a 1985 re-release, along with $303 million internationally. "We are so thrilled to bring Steven Spielberg’s cinematic masterpiece, and one of the most significant films in the history of the business, back to the big screen," said Stacey Snider, chairman of Universal Pictures. "We look forward to bringing the experience of ET to a whole new level and to a whole new generation of fans”-Albawaba.com.
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