Movies like
Loved the vibe? Here are ten films that hit similar notes—with match scores, reasons to watch, and where to stream in the US.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) stuck because it commits to its science fiction premise without apologizing—viewers remember set pieces and momentum as much as plot. Steven Spielberg's control of tone keeps the ride coherent. The science fiction and adventure blend is the engine: it lets the film shift registers without feeling like two different movies stitched together.
Runtime 1h 55m · ★ 7.5
Mood
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Showing 10 of 10 picks
★ 6.8 · Fantasy · Comedy · Animation · 1h 34m
Why you'll love it
Home (2015) is the natural next step after E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: same science-fiction DNA, different perspective. The funny streak and family elevate it well above a simple genre exercise.
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★ 6.6 · Adventure · Animation · Family · 1h 19m
Why you'll love it
Fans of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial who respond to its adventure will find James and the Giant Peach (1996) immediately familiar. Both films share a family sensibility without ever feeling like carbon copies of each other.
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★ 7.0 · Family · Science Fiction · Adventure · 1h 30m
Why you'll love it
There's a reason E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial fans keep landing on Flight of the Navigator (1986) — the science-fiction is unmistakably related even when the plots diverge. Both films operate on the same emotional frequency, especially in their third acts.
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★ 6.3 · Science Fiction · Adventure · Family · 1h 49m
Why you'll love it
Explorers draws from the same science-fiction well as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, channeling adventure in ways that feel unmistakably related. The 1985 film makes a natural companion watch — similar in spirit but distinctly its own.
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★ 7.9 · Action · Science Fiction · Adventure · 2h 1m
Why you'll love it
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) captures the science-fiction appeal of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial without simply imitating it. The adventure streak running through both films is what puts Guardians of the Galaxy at the top of any "if you liked…" shortlist.
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★ 7.7 · Science Fiction · Drama · Adventure · 2h 21m
Why you'll love it
The science-fiction appeal of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial — that tense edge, the adventure — translates cleanly into The Martian (2015). Different setting, same essential satisfaction.
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★ 7.6 · Action · Adventure · Science Fiction · 3h 12m
Why you'll love it
The filmmakers behind Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) clearly understood what makes science-fiction work — the same quality that keeps E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial rewatchable. Expect the same tense rhythm, executed with a fresh angle.
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★ 8.0 · Animation · Science Fiction · Family · 1h 26m
Why you'll love it
The Iron Giant (1999) is the kind of film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial fans discover and immediately send to their group chat. The science-fiction overlap is real, but it's the uplifting emotional pull that seals the recommendation.
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★ 7.0 · Fantasy · Comedy · Family · 1h 36m
Why you'll love it
Hocus Pocus shares E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's gift for family — the 1993 film delivers fantasy without overstaying its welcome. Consider it required viewing once you've finished rewatching your first pick.
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★ 7.2 · Family · Science Fiction · Comedy · 1h 48m
Why you'll love it
Much of what makes E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial compelling — the science-fiction, the family — shows up in Lilo & Stitch (2025) in a slightly different form. Both films understand that funny storytelling works best when it trusts the audience.
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