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Home / Entertainment

E.T. reunites with grown-up Elliot in heartwarming holiday commercial

NZ Herald
28 Nov, 2019 07:24 PM3 mins to read

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E.T. has surprised fans with a heartwarming Christmas commercial featuring a grown-up Elliot and his family.

E.T. has surprised fans with a heartwarming Christmas commercial featuring a grown-up Elliot and his family.

E.T. has surprised fans with a heartwarming Christmas commercial featuring a grown-up Elliot and his family.

In the advert for Comcast's Xfinity, Steven Spielberg's adorable extraterrestrial comes back to Earth to reunite with his is now adult friend Elliot, who is played by the same actor, Henry Thomas, from the original 1982 movie.

"The audience is going to get everything they want out of a sequel without the messy bits that could destroy the beauty of the original and the special place it has in people's minds and hearts," Thomas said in a statement.

READ MORE:
• Elliott from E.T arrested for drink driving after passing out behind the wheel
• A second coming for E.T.

"Looking at the storyboards, I could see exactly why Steven [Spielberg] was really behind it because the integrity of the story isn't lost in this retelling."

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The commercial begins with two kids playing outside in the snow before their Christmas lights start flickering on their house. From inside the home, Elliot and his wife look concerned as toys and the power play up.

Armed with a torch, the kids go searching for answers and are shocked to find E.T. hiding behind a snowman. Their screams prompt Elliot to run outside and happily embrace his old friend.

"Elliot," says E.T. in his usual raspy staccato. "You came back!" Elliot exclaims. "My son," Elliot says, then motioning to his wife and daughter, "My family."

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E.T. has surprised fans with a heartwarming Christmas commercial featuring a grown-up Elliot and his family.
E.T. has surprised fans with a heartwarming Christmas commercial featuring a grown-up Elliot and his family.

The group heads inside where all things E.T. happens again: dead flowers come alive, the kids share with him their gadgets and he snacks on a cupcake.

After a fun-filled day of sledging and watching Christmas movies, E.T. tells Elliot he misses his home.

This sparks the kids to recreate the iconic flying bicycle scene, with the three of them flying in the air with a bright full moon in the background, before he says goodbye to family and hops on a UFO.

Fans filled with nostalgia took to Twitter to share their appreciation for the heartwarming commercial.

Discover more

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Russell Crowe's massive donation to firefighters

29 Nov 01:49 AM

Straight up.. that xfinity commercial with E.T. and the real Elliot had me SOBBING on my couch a few minutes ago pic.twitter.com/xDqnrJ5oST

— Nice&Beans (@dribblebae) November 28, 2019

I just watched an Xfinity commercial about E.T. coming back to visit grown up Elliot for the holidays and I legit shed a tear.

— Sadie Appleton (@sadiewankenobi) November 28, 2019

Elliot from E.T. still has his #DnD set prominently displayed in his home nearly 40 years later! SO COOL. https://t.co/2vMF1feERE

— Greg Tito (@Gregtito) November 28, 2019

So there was a commercial during the Macy’s parade with E.T. returning to visit with Elliot who’s all grown up and now I’m both creeped out and nostalgic. (ET always creeped me out, tbh.)

— Karen Rose (@KarenRoseBooks) November 28, 2019
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