What age is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (E.T. l'extra-terrestre) appropriate for?

8 alone, 7 with a parent; 8 in France. The whole movie, watched in full: what's in it, and how to talk about it with your child.

Why is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (E.T. l'extra-terrestre) not recommended under 8?

What's in it: our reading; a creature you learn to love; sickness, death, and tears; a family without a father; beer, cigarettes and hoses. The detail, fact by fact, is in the zinema guide, which reads the work itself (images, sound, dialogue).

zinema · movies · what age

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (E.T. l'extra-terrestre): what age is it for? 8 alone, 7 with a parent

8 alone, 7 with a parent.

Movie · 1982 · 1 h 55 · adventure, science fiction, family

YRS

The trailer

Alone, or with you

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not yetwith an adult, or to talk about afteralonethe sweet spot

The official US rating is PG; we never go below it, and here we go above: 8. Alone from 8; from 7, with an adult or by talking about it afterwards.

The sweet spot: around 8-10, when you are Elliott's age, can keep a secret, and have already had to let someone you loved leave. Why a sweet spot?

Official US rating: PG; zinema says 8. In France, zinema would say 8.

Watch the trailerContinue in zinemathen where to watch it, in zinema · more trailers, and where to watch films · Where to stream itWhere to watch

What it's about

An alien is left behind on Earth and saved by the 10-year-old Elliott who decides to keep him hidden in his home. While a task force hunts for the extra-terrestrial, Elliott, his brother, and his little sister Gertie form an emotional bond with their new friend, and try to help him find his way home.

Why 8

Our readingE.T. is frightening for ten minutes in the dark of the backyard, then his false death under the tubes makes children cry: eight, seven with a parent close by for the ending.
reading
A creature you learn to loveE.T. is scary for ten minutes, in the dark of the backyard and the shed, with screams and long silences, then he becomes the friend of the house. The real villains are adults in suits who track, search and finally invade the home.
shown
Sickness, death, and tearsIn the last third, E.T. and Elliott waste away together, under tubes and loud doctors; E.T. is believed dead, and the little boy cries. This is where children cry too, and it lasts.
shown
A family without a fatherThe father left for Mexico with another woman, the mother holds on as best she can; the kids mock each other, call each other stupid, an older brother teases. A few swear words in English.
shown
Beer, cigarettes and hosesE.T. drinks beer from the fridge and gets drunk while Elliott, at school, wobbles in class; adults smoke, and the police draw guns during the final chase, without firing.
shown

What the movie brings

A child who helps someone the adults want to capture, and who is right against them.
Separation, learned gently: you can love someone and let them return home.
A film that speaks to children at their height, literally: the camera almost never sees the adults' faces.

Watching it together

Before

Stay close for the hospital scene: say it is not over, without saying how it ends.

After

at 8 and up

Why does Elliott hide E.T. from his mother when she is kind?

See the facts

Death of a character●●● · shownmeasured

Long dark scenes, night, storm●●● · shownmeasured

Tense music or sound●●● · shownmeasured

Verbal threat or intimidation●●● · saidmeasured

Visible injury, blood●●● · shownmeasured

A weapon shown or used●●○ · shownmeasured

Abandonment, separation, confinement●●○ · shownmeasured

Alcohol●●○ · shownmeasured

Drugs●●○ · saidmeasured

Fighting, brawls●●○ · shownmeasured

Frightening imagery●●○ · shownmeasured

Kissing, romantic gestures●●○ · shownmeasured

Pace●●○ · shownmeasured

Smoking●●○ · shownmeasured

Swearing●●○ · shownmeasured

Creature, monster, strong villain●○○ · shownmeasured

Density of dialogue●○○ · shownmeasured

Disaster, destruction, war●○○ · shownmeasured

Insults, hurtful words●○○ · shownmeasured

Jump scares●○○ · shownmeasured

For the same age, on zinema

Tenzing 10, 9 with a parent
A Minecraft Movie 9, 8 with a parent
KPop Demon Hunters 8, 7 with a parent
Coyote vs. Acme 8, 7 with a parent

The latest guides

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A zinema reading from September 20, 2026 · the whole movie, watched in full · the age by zinema's rules for the US and France, and a human reading · report an error · how this guide is made