Steven Spielberg Regrets Controversial Change To E.T.

Director Steven Spielberg expressed regret during a Tuesday interview at Time's 100 Summit in New York City over a decision he made to digitally alter E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, replacing guns with walkie talkies in the 20th anniversary edition of the 1982 film. The Hollywood Reporter was first to report.

During the interview, Spielberg emphasized that E.T. is a product of its era and that no film should be "revised based on modern lenses," either voluntarily or under pressure. He expressed disappointment in himself, stating, "I should have never messed with the archives of my own work, and I don't recommend anyone do that." The decision to alter the film was met with widespread mockery, including from the popular TV show South Park.

These comments when there is ongoing debate about updating classic literature and films to remove offensive terms and descriptions. However, Spielberg made it clear that he does not believe in censorship of this nature. He jokingly said, "Nobody should ever attempt to take the chocolate out of Willy Wonka!" and added, "For me, it is sacrosanct. It's our history; it's our cultural heritage. I do not believe in censorship in that way."

Spielberg's stance aligns with that of another renowned director, Martin Scorsese, who has expressed similar views on director's cuts. Scorsese has stated that the version of the film released is the director's cut, unless taken away by financiers or the studio. He emphasized that decisions made during the filmmaking process should be respected, even if unforeseen circumstances impact the final version of the film.