Grab those Reese’s Pieces, your bicycle, and get ready to fly. This week, a brand new book diving into the making of Steven Spielberg’s beloved E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is being released. Written by Caseen Gaines, with a foreword by star Drew Barrymore and introduction by producer Kathleen Kennedy, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: The Ultimate Visual History promises to explore every aspect of what was, at the time, the highest-grossing movie ever.
The book is out Tuesday, August 30, and io9 has your exclusive first look at three spreads detailing the most famous, iconic things about the film. First is a spread detailing the creation of E.T. himself. Check it out.
Six months seems like a lot of time, but not when you’re building something from scratch—and especially when that something is the star of the film. Talk about pressure.
Next up is the filming of not just the most famous shot in E.T., but one of the most famous shots in cinema history. Elliott and E.T. flying across the moon.
Again, awesome details here. They shot the moon with a special lens three days a week for three months to get just the right look of it? Then, combining that with miniatures and everything? Fascinating stuff.
Finally, because I’m something of a poster buff, here’s a little tease of the section on one of the film’s iconic posters, done by artist John Alvin.
That’s just six pages out of 240 so who knows what other magic can be found inside. Plus, there are also 16 inserts in the book, which is a hardcover and retails for $60. You can order it over at Insight Editions or wherever you get your books. Here’s the cover.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
