E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
EST V ACT domestic box office revenue
$295 – 326MM Vs $359MM
Mythosis universal quests used
5
Audience appeal
42.31 – 46.76%
Script Score
1.41
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 science fiction movie directed by Steven Spielberg. The story is about a young boy who along with his siblings helps an extra-terrestrial evade government agents and assists it to find the way home.
1. The invisible plot structure of E.T.
1A. The script of E.T. borrows 96% of its events from 5 mythological tales
E.T.’s quest is driven by the desire to be in secure surroundings and mirrors the tale of Odysseus from Greek mythology, Both Odysseus & E.T. navigate their way out of inhospitable territory to return home.
Elliott’s quest is driven by the desire for approval by others and mirrors the tale of Theseus from Greek mythology. Both Theseus & Elliott undertake an impossible mission before getting accepted.
Key’s quest is driven by the desire to find an elusive person/object and mirrors the tale of Gilgamesh from Sumerian mythology. Both Gilgamesh & Keys lose the “elixir of life” after acquiring it.
Michael’s quest is driven by the desire to be loyal to a clan/order and mirrors the tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology. Both Hanuman & Michael are initially suspicious but later swear loyalty.
Alien-ship’s underdeveloped quest mirrors the tale of Demeter from Greek mythology. Both Demeter & Alien-ship resume the search for their loved ones after getting a clue.
Mary’s quest is subsumed in Elliott’s quest since she plays the role of King Aegean in Theseus’ tale.
NOTE: Detailed mirroring of each character’s primary quest to their respective mythological tales is in section “3A. Quests of characters and their mythological counterparts”
Mythosis plot structure
# 5,424,837
Tales interweaved
Demeter, Odysseus, Gilgamesh, Theseus & Hanuman
I. How does interweaving mythological tales lead to infinite story plots?
II. Can the pursuit of a Desire have more than one quest?
2. The potential of E.T.'s plot structure: $295 – 326MM
The interweaving of 32 mythological tales can generate a billion unique stories. By using these 32 tales, we can extract the plot structure of any story across various genres. Our study of blockbuster, hit, and flop plot structures led to the discovery of the Mythosis Code, a set of principles for creating compelling stories. The plot structure of a story is analyzed to see how well it adheres to these storytelling principles.
2A. Plot structure evaluation of E.T.
- All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. E.T. uses 4 universal quests of Tranquillity, Acceptance, Honour & Expedition. The quest of Family is sparsely used.
- In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. E.T. mirrors the quest of Tranquillity. Keys mirrors the universal quest of Expedition. Elliott mirrors the quest of Tranquillity whereas Michael mirrors the quest of Honour.
- Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. E.T. borrows 37% of the quest for Tranquillity. Keys borrows 36% of the quest for Expedition. Elliott borrows 43% of the quest for Acceptance whereas Michael borrows 40% of the quest for Honour.
- Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. E.T. has a perfect quest interweaving score of 1.
An example of interweaving the quests of E.T. & Keys:
2B. Box office revenue estimation of E.T.
The plot structure of E.T. ranks as the second most robust among Hollywood productions over the past 50 years.
Jaws holds the top position.
The Script Score measures a plot structure’s adherence to the four principles of Mythosis Code. We use the Script Score to estimate a movie’s audience appeal & revenues. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
Script Score
1.41
Audience appeal
42.31 – 46.76%
I. How is Mythosis Code used to estimate revenues?
II. Aren’t box-office revenues influenced by several factors beyond just the story plot?
3. The ideal plot structure of E.T.
We have identified 32 mythological tales, the superset of all tales across cultures. The quests of these tales have also recurred over time periods. They represent human behaviours that are deeply embedded in our shared memories. Each tale is the richest expression of the pursuit of a human desire. The tales have a unique pattern of events spread over 5 major arcs.
Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. Plugging these gaps with the missing events deepens the character quest. The missing events also provide an opportunity for interweaving the various quests. These events strengthen the story and unlock its hidden potential.
3A.Quest of characters and their mythological counterparts
Quest 1: E.T. mirrors the universal quest for Tranquillity
E.T.’s desire for Tranquillity stems from the need to be in secure surroundings. The tale of Odysseus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Tranquillity.
Quest 2: Keys mirrors the universal quest for Expedition
Keys’ desire for Expedition stems from the need to find an elusive person/object. The tale of Gilgamesh from Sumerian mythology is the universal quest for Expedition.
Quest 3: Elliott mirrors the universal quest for Acceptance
Elliott’s desire for Acceptance stems from the need for approval by others. The tale of Theseus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Acceptance.
Quest 4: Michael mirrors the universal quest for Honour
Michael’s desire for Honour stems from the need to be loyal to a clan/order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
3B.Gaps in the current plot structure
A strong plot structure with no gaps
3C.Unlocking the hidden potential
The plot of E.T. is a subset of Mythosis plot structure # 5,424,837. It emerges from interweaving the tales of Demeter, Odysseus, Gilgamesh, Theseus & Hanuman.
Contact us for Mythosis plot structure # 5,424,837.
Tags: Theseus, Odysseus, Gilgamesh, Hanuman, Demeter, Acceptance, Tranquillity, Honour, Expedition, Family, Steven Spielberg, Amblin Entertainment, 1982