E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (E.T.), an American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg famed for its emotional appeal and special effects. E.T. was a timeless story about a boy and his siblings who befriended a stranded extraterrestrial (E.T.) and assisted him to return home. With a budget of US$10.5 million, the film was shot from September to December 1981 and became a blockbuster, one of the most financially successful film of all time.