A rare example of cinema's most famous alien, used in the filming of Steven Spielberg's ET, is being auctioned online until April 3, 2025, by Sotheby's. This physical model, designed by special effects master Carlo Rambaldi, is estimated at between $600 and $000, or approximately €900 to €000. Measuring just over a meter, it comes from the personal collection of Rambaldi, a three-time Oscar winner for his work on iconic films such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, King Kong (550), and Dune (000).
According to Sotheby's, this creation embodies “the art of a bygone era,” before the rise of digital special effects. Designed to be mechanically animated, this model of ET could reproduce up to 150 different movements, from frowning to neck extension. A true technological feat for the time. In a presentation video, auctioneer Cassandra Hatton describes it as “an iconic piece of Hollywood nostalgia.”
A cult object for cinema enthusiasts
This isn't the first time an ET-related item has sparked collector interest. In December 2022, an action figure used in the filming of the alien sold for $2,6 million at a sale organized by Julien's Auctions and Turner Classic Movies. Another, simpler model of the alien sold for $125.
This sale is part of a larger exhibition of film props organized by Sotheby's in New York, which also features other pieces from the world of Carlo Rambaldi. Among them are two sandworm models created for David Lynch's Dune. These rare objects demonstrate the inventiveness of special effects artists in the pre-digital era and rekindle moviegoers' nostalgia for a cinema of craftsmanship and tangible imagination.
