LOS ANGELES — To Porter Ranch locals, the hillside area off Reseda Boulevard is already known as "E.T. Park," after the movie "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." The 1982 blockbuster was shot throughout the San Fernando Valley, including at the 4.5-acre park.
Now, four decades after the movie's release, the city is taking steps to make the park's nickname official. A City Council committee on Tuesday backed a proposal to rename Porter Ridge Park as E.T. Park, sending it to the full council.
Director Steven Spielberg sought out the tract-house setting of the Valley for "E.T." because it reminded him of the Phoenix suburb where he grew up, the Los Angeles Times reported in 1985.
