Fact: A Sweet Story in 'E.T.' — Do you Know The Candy That Made Movie History?
How Reese’s pieces became E.T.’s favourite candy.
A charming little tidbit from the classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Did you know that E.T.’s favourite candy was originally meant to be M&M’s?
Steven Spielberg had planned for the lovable alien to munch on those colourful chocolates, but Mars, Inc. declined the product placement. So, what did they do? They switched to Reese’s Pieces — and what a brilliant move that turned out to be!
The tiny orange and yellow sweets became iconic thanks to E.T., and their sales skyrocketed afterwards. It’s a perfect example of how a simple product placement can have a huge cultural impact — and how a small change can make all the difference in filmmaking history.
Watching E.T. happily nibbling on 495 now feels like an integral part of the film’s magic, and it’s fascinating to think how this little switch helped boost their popularity so dramatically. Sometimes, it’s the smallest details that leave the biggest mark on cinema and consumer culture alike.
