Rumors of a sequel to the classic 1985 film, The Goonies, have been circulating on and off since its release 36 years ago, but one of the original stars, Corey Feldman, says it can't happen anymore. As recently as 2020, the likes of a sequel coming to fruition were still high as there were two separate Goonies cast reunions that acted as fundraisers for charities during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the reunions even featured behind-the-camera talent from the original film, with producer Steven Speilberg, director Richard Donner, and writer Chris Columbus appearing. With the cast being reinvigorated to tackle a sequel, hopes were higher than ever.
The Goonies stars Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Cohen, Robert Davi, Anne Ramsey, and Martha Plimpton alongside Feldman. The film follows a group of misfits kids who set out on a journey after finding an ancient map they believe will lead them to long-lost pirate treasure. It was released to a warm reception by critics and audiences before going on to be the 9th highest-grossing film of 1985. Over the years, the film continued to grow its fanbase with home video releases and repeated airings on TV, and it has also been re-released in theaters several times.
While speaking with Dread Central recently, Feldman opened up about the details surrounding the rumored sequel. He reinforced the fact that the actors are on board, but every time he gets excited about the project, he finds his hopes dashed. Even with Columbus stating that he was working on a script for the sequel, nothing seems to have come from it. Feldman continued by digging into the reasons he feels The Goonies sequel is dead in the water. Focusing on Donner, the director of the original film, Feldman speculated that the 91-year-old choosing the opportunity to direct Lethal Weapon 5 finally puts an end to any chance of The Goonies 2. Feldman said:
I don’t know what the hell it is. But all I know is that when I found out my dear friend Richard Donner had signed on to do Lethal Weapon 5 as his swan song, well, that pretty much sewed up the rumor mill right there. It’s done. We can't make [The Goonies 2] without [Donner]. And [Donner’s] off shooting guns with the Lethal Weapon people.
Given Donner's age, Feldman may be right, but he was quick to add that the cast still feels like a family, and they want it to happen. He later expressed that everyone involved still has love for The Goonies, but says the sequel simply has not been able to get off of the ground. He explained:
And that is the shame of it. Because, just like when we did the zooms last year, I mean it doesn’t matter how many grey hairs everybody’s got on their faces, the love is still there. And the family feeling is still there. And I know that secretly, each of us weeps at night wishing that there was that magical [The Goonies 2] script landing on our doorstep the next day. But unfortunately and sadly, it still has not arrived.
While Feldman's comments seem bleak for fans of the film, it's possible The Goonies could live on in another form. In February 2020, Fox ordered a pilot for a series that was set to revolve around a woman helping a group of film students make a shot-for-shot remake of The Goonies. The show was ultimately not picked up, but it acts as recent proof that The Goonies may yet find new life, even if not in a direct sequel. With Donner shooting Lethal Weapon 5, he might not end up being involved in future projects related to The Goonies 2, but as any fan still holding out hope will tell you, Goonies never say die.
Source: Dread Central