E.T. and Elliott reunited after 37 years for mini-sequel

Everyone’s favourite extraterrestrial, E.T., and his human pal Elliott have been reunited nearly two-decades after their first fateful meeting.

A now-grown-up Elliott, played by actor Henry Thomas, and the adorable alien both star in a heartwarming TV ad released on Thursday in line with the US holiday, Thanksgiving.

In the four-minute Christmas-themed video for telecom company Xfinity, the childhood buddies are brought back together for the first time since the premiere of E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial in 1982.

Adult Elliott and E.T. come face-to-face when Elliott’s own kids discover the alien hiding behind a snowman in their front yard.

“You came back!” Elliott exclaims when he recognises his old friend, before inviting him inside to watch movies with his family.

E.T. eventually realises that he needs to return home to his own family and, just like the Steven Speilberg classic, takes to the skies on a bicycle.

Fans of the cult flick have taken to social media to share their delight for the mini-sequel.

“The best Xmas ad ever!!!!” wrote one.

“Crying all over again. Thank you for this awesome ‘sequel’!” said another.

“OMG!! Completely star struck!!! Best surprise ever!!! Can’t get enough!!” commented one excited user.

The star of the film agrees, saying in a statement that the ad was a ‘win-win’ for audiences.

“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. It’s really a win-win,” Henry said.

“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,” he added.

If the commercial has got you feeling nostalgic, we’ve picked some E.T.-themed items that’ll take you back to the ‘80s.

E.T. Head Knocker Bobble Head, $24.99 from Entertainment Earth

Factorie Regular License T Shirt in E.T. print, $17.46 (RRP $24.95) from Cotton On

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The Classic Illustrated Storybook, $11.69 from Book Depository

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