Stranded on Earth : How Night Skies Became E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is one of the most beloved films ever made—but its origins are far more surprising than most audiences realize.

Following his acclaimed bestseller A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune, author and film journalist Max Evry returns with Stranded on Earth: How Night Skies Became E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the in-depth chronicle of the extraordinary creative journey that transformed an abandoned science-fiction horror film into a cultural phenomenon.

Tracing Spielberg’s lifelong fascination with extraterrestrials—from his teenage feature Firelight through the groundbreaking success of Close Encounters of the Third Kind—Evry uncovers the remarkable story behind Night Skies, a dark alien invasion project inspired by alleged UFO encounters. As the ambitious production unraveled amid creative disagreements and shifting studio priorities, Spielberg found the emotional story that would become E.T.—a film that forever changed popular cinema.

Drawing on new interviews with Spielberg collaborators, actors, artists, effects technicians, and other key insiders, Stranded on Earth reveals the untold stories behind the making, unmaking, and rebirth of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated productions. Along the way, it also explores how the DNA of Night Skies survived in films including Poltergeist and Gremlins, influencing an entire generation of science fiction and horror cinema.

Lavishly illustrated with more than 100 rare images and illustrations, Stranded on Earth is an engrossing work of film history and an essential companion for movie lovers, Spielberg fans, E.T. devotees, and anyone fascinated by the creative process behind one of Hollywood’s most enduring cinematic achievements.