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LA May Be Getting An 'E.T. Park' 40 (Gulp) Years After The Iconic Film Was Released

A black and white photo of Steven Spielberg wearing sunglasses and standing next to a movie camera.
American film director, Steven Spielberg, on the set of his film 'E.T. - The Extraterrestrial' in 1982. Now an L.A. city councilperson wants to rename a city park where a famous scene took place.
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Keystone/Getty Images
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Hulton Archive
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Four decades after the release of the iconic movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Los Angeles may be getting an "E.T. Park."

City Councilmember John Lee wants to rename Porter Ridge Park for the 1982 film. The park is featured in the famous scene in which E.T. evades the authorities and boards a ship to return home.

"I always assumed that the name of the park was E.T. Park growing up," Lee said. "It's something that I think the whole community refers to as E.T. Park, and this is just making it official."

The City Council has asked the Department of Recreation and Parks to approve the renaming.

Lee says the film's director, Steven Spielberg, has given the city permission to use the name, but noted that Spielberg would not be paying for the new sign — if the park does change its name.

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