Special Report: Stranded on Earth (2026)

Before E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) there was Night Skies, a rural alien-horror movie that Steven Spielberg developed, spent roughly $700,000 on, and walked away from. Max Evry, author of A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune, returns to The Projection Booth to talk about his new book, Stranded on Earth: How Night Skies Became E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, out October 27 from 1984 Publishing. A new book, a new look at old Spielberg. Mike White and Evry dig into: Why Spielberg traded a sinister project for a personal story about a lonely kid and an alien, and how the friendship at the heart of Night Skies became the whole of E.T. The Rick Baker saga: his working aliens, the blowup that sent Spielberg to Carlo Rambaldi, and how much of the creature came from Baker. Ron Cobb, John Sayles, Tobe Hooper and the myths the book corrects. After School, the R-rated middle-school comedy from Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. How ideas migrated into Poltergeist (1982) and Gremlins (1984), and whether Night Skies could work after Disclosure Day (2026). If Spielberg never lets a good idea die, what happens when someone writes down where they went? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-projection-booth--5513239/support. Become a supporter of The Projection Booth at http://www.patreon.com/projectionbooth The Projection Booth is part of the Weirding Way Media podcast network. Explore more of our shows at http://weirdingwaymedia.com.