In the decades since, this trilogy has given us unforgettable characters, incredible performances, an animated series, a groundbreaking theme park ride, a Broadway musical, and even a Hollywood “what if” — the alternate reality where Eric Stoltz, not Michael J. Fox, played Marty McFly.

In the summer of 1982, director Steven Spielberg delivered a heartfelt masterpiece that redefined what a family science fiction film could be. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial wasn’t about alien invasions or galactic wars — it was about love, empathy, and the connection between two beings from different worlds. It was about looking up at the stars and realizing that maybe, just maybe, someone out there might be looking back with kindness.