"When screenwriter Melissa Mathison wrote the film's initial draft, the candy featured wasn't Reese's Pieces. It was director Spielberg's personal favorite treat, M&Ms. Per the lore, M&Ms parent company Mars, Inc. was reluctant to give Spielberg and his team the rights to use its candy for the film - an interesting hesitation considering Spielberg's most recent hit at the time "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981) won four Oscars and was the highest-grossing film the previous year."
"When we contacted [Mars] to use M&M's, of course, they wanted to see the script. And there was the catch-22, because Steven didn't want to send the script. I think they had a lot of regret after saying no."
Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial features a pivotal scene where candy attracts the alien character, creating one of cinema's most memorable product placements. Originally, screenwriter Melissa Mathison wrote the scene using M&Ms, Spielberg's personal favorite candy. However, Mars, Inc., the parent company of M&Ms, declined to grant rights for the film. The company's reluctance stemmed partly from Spielberg's insistence on extreme privacy regarding the script, refusing to share details with Mars, Inc. Producer Kathleen Kennedy later noted the company expressed regret over their decision. Reese's Pieces ultimately received the prominent placement, becoming permanently associated with the beloved film and achieving massive cultural impact.
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