Steven Spielberg on why he regrets editing guns out of ET: ‘That was a mistake’

Director removed firearms from a scene in the 20th anniversary re-release of the classic film

Steven Spielberg has said he regrets editing guns out of his 1982 classic ET, in a 20th anniversary release of the film.

ET, which surpassed the original Star Wars movie to become the highest-grossing film of all time when it was released, tells the story of Elliott, a boy who befriends an extraterrestrial who is left behind on Earth.

The film’s original theatrical cut includes a scene of officers chasing young children while carrying firearms. Spielberg edited the guns out for the 2002 release and replaced them with walkie talkies.

“That was a mistake,” Spielberg said during a master class at the Time 100 Summit. “I never should have done that. ET is a product of its era.

“No film should be revised based on the lenses we now are, either voluntarily, or being forced to peer through.”

He added: “I should have never messed with the archives of my own work, and I don’t recommend anyone do that.

“All our movies are a kind of a signpost of where we were when we made them, what the world was like and what the world was receiving when we got those stories out there. So I really regret having that out there.”

‘ET: The Extra-Terrestrial' (Universal Pictures)

Speaking about Roald Dahl and other authors’ books being censored in recent months, Spielberg said: “For me, it is sacrosanct. It’s our history, it’s our cultural heritage. I do not believe in censorship in that way.”

Earlier this week, Spielberg opened up about how ET was inspired by his parents’ divorce.

Read The Independent’s deep-dive into the making of the film for its 40th anniversary last year, here.