ET may not be a traditional Christmas movie, but it is a classic that has stood the test of time. And if you’re looking for a great movie that everyone can enjoy this holiday season, this is one of the very best.
In case you don’t know, Henry Thomas plays Elliott, a young boy who finds a friendly alien that has crash-landed on Earth. The two develop a great bond before Elliott eventually helps ET return to his home planet.
The 1982 film, directed by Steven Spielberg, also features Drew Barrymore in one of her first appearances.
Here’s how to stream, rent or buy ET the Extra-Terrestrial this Christmas. You might also be interested in our guide to this year’s best British Christmas TV.
How to stream ET The Extra-Terrestrial in Great Britain
In the UK you can stream ET via Apple TV+. A subscription costs £8.99 per month, but Apple offers a seven-day free trial if you haven’t signed up before.
That means you can sign up and cancel immediately, then watch ET and any other great movies or TV shows on Apple TV+ for the next week, all for free.
ET is also available via Sky Cinema, which starts at €25 per month for a Sky Stream bundle, or £10 per month on top of an existing subscription, all for 24 months.
However, if you just want to watch ET and other great movies, it’s easier to just get a Now Cinema subscription. This currently starts at £6.99 per month or £13.99 per month with entertainment, although you’ll need to commit at least six months upfront.
These prices do not include Now Boost, which costs an additional £6 per month (Boost) or £9 per month (Ultra Boost).
How to stream ET The Extra-Terrestrial in the US
In the US, ET is also available via Apple TV+. Instead of paying the $9.99 per month subscription for free, there is also a seven-day free trial for new customers.
That means you can sign up and cancel immediately, then watch ET and any other great movies or TV shows on Apple TV+ for the next week, all for free.
The film is also on the Starz channel within Amazon Prime Video, but you can also get a free seven-day trial before the $10.99 monthly fee kicks in.
If you’re not satisfied with the options above, there are a few other ways to watch ET at home.
The first is to rent it for a short time. In the UK you can do this through Amazon for £3.49 (4K UHD), Microsoft for £2.49 (SD) or £3.49 (HD), Apple TV for £3.49 or Sky Store for £3 .49 (HD).
In the US it costs $3.79 from YouTube or $3.99 from Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango and Microsoft.
However, you may prefer to purchase the digital version. In the UK this costs £8.39 in the UK from Amazon or £9.99 from Microsoft.
iTunes. In the US, head to Amazon, Apple TV, Microsoft, Fandango or YouTube, where it costs $14.99.
If you prefer physical media, you can also get the ET DVD from Amazon for £4.99/$5.
On Blu-ray it costs £7.85/$9.99.
There is also a way to lease the ET DVD for free. Cinema Paradiso is a DVD rental subscription service that offers a 14-day free trial on all available subscriptions. After that it’s £15.99 or £29.99 per month.
Cafe DVD is a good equivalent in the US, but there’s no free trial available, with subscriptions starting at $9.99 per month.
