Actor Sean Astin doesn’t believe a sequel to The Goonies will ever happen, but he approves of a reboot. Produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, the original 1985 film is widely regarded as a cult classic. Astin stars as Michael “Mikey” Walsh in The Goonies.
In The Goonies, a group of kids discover a treasure map and embark on a fantastical journey while evading booby traps and other setbacks. Josh Brolin and Corey Feldman co-star in the film, which was written by Chris Columbus - who later directed Home Alone, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Produced for $19 million, The Goonies earned over $61 million at the box office, and has since become a classic of 1980s cinema. Netflix’s popular series Stranger Things is thematically and aesthetically influenced by The Goonies, and Astin portrayed Bob Newby in season 2. Over the years, a sequel to The Goonies has often been discussed by the original cast and crew, though the project has never evolved past speculation.
Per Collider, Astin doesn't believe The Goonies 2 will ever be produced. While promoting the upcoming Netflix series No Good Nick, the veteran actor discussed his optimism over the years, but also that the timing simply isn’t right by stating, "I think we’ve probably passed the threshold for which all of us original cast members are right for doing a sequel.” However, Astin does believe that a reboot of the original film would resonate with modern moviegoers, but it ultimately depends on whether the aforementioned Spielberg wants to invest in a new project. In the past year, the famous Hollywood filmmaker has been on record about his disdain for the Netflix distribution model, at least in terms of how it affects awards season nominations. As for Astin, he believes that a reboot wouldn’t necessarily to have to match the prestige of the original film: “If it’s not as good as the original Goonies, that’s fine, who cares?”
Now 48-years-old, Astin successfully transitioned from child star to a consistently-working mature actor. The Goonies marked his feature film debut, and he later played the title role in the 1993 sports classic Rudy. By the early 21st century, Astin reached the next level of his career upon being cast as Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which introduced him to a new generation of moviegoers. Since then, Astin has sustained a career in both movies and television, and has a starring role in the aforementioned Netflix series No Good Nick, which premiered on April 15.
For many moviegoers, The Goonies is directly connected to the 1980s experience; a time when the concept of adventure didn't correlate with cellphones and social media. Based on the film’s legacy, though, and how the inherent camaraderie among The Goonies' characters still applies, it makes sense to update the film for today’s world. And considering that Steven Spielberg recently made a successful blockbuster like Ready Player One, a potential reboot of The Goonies could similarly bring moviegoers together, much like the original film.
Source: Collider