Mattel is planning to phone home after unveiling plans to mark the 40th anniversary of global blockbuster film E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
Steven Spielberg’s classic feelgood sci-fi weepie was first released in 1982 and became a worldwide, record-breaking box office hit before, with its catchphrase entering the popular lexicon.
The landmark birthday is being marked with a theatrical re-release for the film and an undoubted raft of press coverage, with Mattel celebrating the occasion with the launch of a character plush featuring the lovable alien in his instantly recognisable red hoodie.
The 11” plush comes complete with a finger that lights up just as E.T.’s did in the much-loved film, while the creature also utters some of the alien’s favourite phrases, including, of course, the legendary “phone home”.
Jan Jauregui, manager of product design at Mattel said: “We went through dozens of sketches and stylizations because we wanted to make sure that we captured E.T.’s sweet, child-like innocence through the sculpt. Aside from making his proportions even cuter with a larger head and smaller body, we put a lot of emphasis on his eyes.”
