John Alvin's original poster art for classic movie ET (1982) is to sell at Heritage Auctions.
The lot is valued in excess of $150,000 ahead of the October 12 illustration auction.
 The poster is based on Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam |
The movie was the highest grossing film of the 1980s and is considered by most critics to be director Stephen Spielberg's masterpiece.
While Alvin went on to paint several different posters, it was this one inspired by Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam that has stood the test of time.
As Heritage explains: "This image was utilized promotionally not only for the original one sheet movie poster, but also as the VHS cover, lobby cards, t-shirts, etc.
"John Alvin created one preliminary for this work and continued to produce posters for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial on its re-releases in 1985 and 2002.
"However, it is this iconic image by John Alvin that is seared into minds of the American public as a nostalgic symbol of unlikely friendship and everlasting childhood."
The Daily Mail reports that the consignor is TV producer Bob Bendetson, who has owned the artwork since the 1980s.
Apparently his wife wants to turn the room it hung in into a guest bedroom - a fate feared by many collectors.
The auction will also feature work from other well-known illustrators, including Gil Elvrgen, Frank Frazetta and Robert Crumb.
Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about movie memorabilia auctions.
