A Brief History of The Goonies 2 (And Why It’s Never Happened)

As a devoted fan who has grown up with “The Goonies” as a cherished part of my childhood, it’s disheartening to see the endless rollercoaster of false starts and dashed hopes surrounding its sequel. For decades, I have eagerly awaited the day when Mikey, Mouth, Data, Chunk, and the rest would embark on another thrilling adventure.

For over three decades, efforts to create a sequel for the iconic movie “The Goonies” have consistently fallen through. Packed with humor, emotion, excitement, and countless memorable quotes, it’s no surprise that fans have yearned for a continuation of this cherished tale. Regrettably, enthusiasts have been left waiting on various assurances and updates about the possibility of a sequel from cast and crew, all of which have ultimately proven to be unfulfilled. Given these repeated setbacks, it seems reasonable to conclude that “The Goonies 2” may never materialize, although don’t be surprised when you occasionally hear whispers of “progress” in the pipeline.

In a nutshell, this cherished movie tells the story of a lively gang of kids, known as the “Goonies,” living in the “Goon Docks” area of Astoria, Oregon. They set off on an exhilarating escapade, chasing after hidden treasure, navigating an underworld pirate ship, dodging traps, and much more, all under the supervision of producer Steven Spielberg and director Richard Donner. Released to great acclaim, The Goonies has since amassed a dedicated fanbase. The movie featured endearing child characters, several of whom went on to achieve fame in Hollywood, such as Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, and Ke Huy Quan.

With so many perfect elements, how has a Goonies sequel never happened?

Warner Bros. Isn’t Interested

A significant development regarding “The Goonies 2” emerged in 2005 during a celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary named “Goonies Never Say Die!” held in Astoria, Oregon. At this event, actor Jeff Cohen, who played “Chunk,” mentioned during a Q&A that Steven Spielberg had proposed a story idea to him the previous year, and most of the cast was keen on reprising their roles. However, it seemed Warner Bros., the studio holding the rights to the film, showed no interest in producing the movie. Despite this, director Richard Donner expressed optimism about the sequel’s potential, encouraging fans to voice their opinions to the studio, hinting that there was still a chance the project might take flight.

The Goonies Go Animated?

2007 marked the start of significant progress regarding a new installment in the “Goonies” series, with plans for an animated television show being unveiled. As reported by the MTV Movies Blog, Feldman had learned about numerous potential storylines in development, yet remained uncertain about its prospects, commenting, “While I’d love to say a fantastic writer is working on it and it’s coming soon, unfortunately, I have no updates for you. It was a film that Steven Spielberg and Richard Donner desperately wanted to produce, and we, the cast, were eager to be part of it…Unfortunately, Warner Bros. doesn’t view it as a profitable endeavor. It’s truly disappointing.

Richard Donner Gives Fans Hope

2007 saw whispers about an animated series adaptation of “The Goonies,” but things remained relatively quiet until 2014 when Richard Donner confirmed to TMZ that a sequel was indeed in the works. The esteemed director shared, “We’re hoping to get this off the ground…Steven [Spielberg] thought up the idea for a sequel after three decades. You don’t move forward without him; we’ve been trying and then he came up with another storyline.” As a cinephile, I eagerly await updates on this project!

Donner also revealed that he hoped to bring back the original cast, stating that they’d return “if they have any sense.” However, as usual, this news led to nothing.

A Promising Reunion?

2020 marked the premiere of Reunited Apart, where many of the original actors and creators from the movie The Goonies connected digitally to share memories and reenact iconic scenes. As anticipated, there was discussion about a possible sequel, with Steven Spielberg mentioning that “Chris [Columbus], Dick [Donnor] and I – along with Lauren [Shuler Donner] – have often talked about it. Every few years we come up with an idea, but it doesn’t end up being feasible.

Although this fact demonstrated that the primary cast members from the initial movie were open to furthering the storyline, it failed to provide much hope regarding its potential future success.

Don’t Hold Your Breath

2020 saw the gathering of the cast and team behind the scenes, but unfortunately, it didn’t result in anything substantial, leaving fans disappointed yet again. To add to their dismay, Adam F. Goldberg, the mind behind ABC’s The Goldbergs, announced in 2022 that he had been working on a script for a Goonies sequel for several years. Sadly, this project too didn’t come to fruition.

Joe Pantoliano (Francis Fratelli) shared at Terrificon 2022 that Goldberg proposed a concept: he’d only reveal the initial three pages. This was the sequel version, hinting at potential resurrection of these characters. Given the success of recent sequels such as “Bad Boys for Life” and “Top Gun: Maverick”, it seems audiences have a preference for revisiting familiar characters. So, I’d be optimistic about another installment involving everyone.

Regrettably, my enthusiasm for a revival of Goldberg’s script was dampened by Donner’s untimely passing in 2021. His guiding hand behind the camera was crucial, and without him, I can’t help but feel that any potential Goonies sequel might fall flat. Even though we may never see The Goonies 2 come to life on the big screen, its spirit and impact will endure forever. After all, those resourceful kids from the original film have left us with an indelible lesson: never give up.

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2024-12-24 23:09