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Hollywood is full of “what if” scenarios—actors who famously turned down projects (like Will Smith and The Matrix) or directors who didn’t get to make the movie they dreamed about (see: Jodorowsky’s Dune). But sometimes, a scuttled project turns around and makes another one possible, and a cinematic classic emerges.

That scenario is woven into the backstory of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it’s the subject of a new book by writer and film journalist Max Evry titled Stranded on Earth: How Night Skies Became E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

Read on for an exclusive excerpt from Evry’s book, including an introduction (and photos!) provided by the author to add even more context.

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was for many years the most financially successful motion picture ever made, and still maintains beloved status among fans. While the sweet film about the friendship between a young boy (Henry Thomas) and a good-natured alien from outer space may have touched the hearts of the world, many do not realize it began life as a far more sinister film.

Night Skies was Spielberg’s intended follow-up to Close Encounters of the Third Kind , only this time he would focus on far more malevolent aliens who encroach upon a rural farm family with terrifying intentions. With a story by Spielberg and a screenplay by John Sayles (The Howling) , the unmade sci-fi horror film Night Skies was to be directed by noted production artist Ron Cobb (Conan the Barbarian) with practical creature effects by none other than future Oscar-winner Rick Baker (Men in Black, Thriller, Ed Wood) .

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