Now that The Goonies 2 is confirmed to be in development, I find it hard to be excited about it as the sequel is happening without Richard Donner. The 1980s are home to many classics, of which some went on to become franchises and others were left to enjoy their success on their own. Although it’s true that not every successful and popular movie deserves a sequel, the ongoing trend of reboots and long-awaited sequels means that no movie is safe from getting these treatments – and now it’s the turn of The Goonies.
Directed by Richard Donner from a story by Steven Spielberg and written by Chris Columbus (a winning combination of talents), The Goonies follows a group of kids living in the “Goon Docks” area of Oregon – hence why they call themselves “the Goonies.” When their homes face foreclosure, they find an old treasure map that sets them on an adventure to find the long-lost fortune of the “first Goonie”, One-Eyed Willy, so they can save their homes. Now, four decades after its release, The Goonies is getting a sequel, but it just doesn’t feel right to have it without Richard Donner’s involvement.
The Goonies 2 Would’ve Been Difficult With Richard Donner; Without Him, It’s Impossible
R.I.P. Richard Donner
Richard Donner was a filmmaker, producer, and actor, and along with The Goonies, his most notable projects are The Omen, Superman (that one with Christopher Reeve), and the first four Lethal Weapon movies. On TV, he directed episodes of The Twilight Zone, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Gilligan’s Island, and Tales from the Crypt. By the time he signed on to direct The Goonies, Donner already had a lot of experience in horror, fantasy, and action – and it showed.
Richard Donner has an uncredited cameo in The Goonies as a sheriff’s deputy.
Donner’s experience and skills in making exciting and engaging action movies and blockbusters were key to The Goonies’ success – and he managed to make the most out of the difficulties he encountered while making the movie. In the documentary The Making of The Goonies, Donner opened up about the pros and cons of working with many child actors – their energy and excitement were praised, but they could be quite unruly when together. Donner coached them and shared techniques to bring realistic performances out of the young cast.
Donner’s vision and direction were key to the greatness of The Goonies, bringing out the best in his actors.
The result, as we now know, was a group of child actors with incredible chemistry, high energy, and emotional depth in different ways that perfectly served their characters and their individual stories. Donner’s vision and direction were key to the greatness of The Goonies, bringing out the best in his actors, allowing the audience to follow their journey quite closely and thus connect with them, and make an overall exciting movie. Thanks to this and more, the only way a sequel to The Goonies could happen is with him back as director to recapture the magic – sadly, Donner pᴀssed away in 2021.
Several The Goonies Cast Members Doubt A Sequel Can Work Without Donner
The Goonies Cast Respect Richard Donner & His Legacy
The cast of The Goonies agrees that a sequel couldn’t really work without Richard Donner involved in it. In June 2021, Corey Feldman (who played Mouth), told Dread Central that, although the cast would be up to returning for a sequel, it just couldn’t happen without Donner. At the time, Donner was planning to make Lethal Weapon 5, which Feldman mentioned as his “swan song.” The following year, Feldman spoke about the possibility of The Goonies 2 again at Fanboy Expo Knoxville, saying he hoped there wouldn’t be talks about a sequel unless it were as well done as Top Gun: Maverick.
Ke Huy Quan shared that they had read numerous scripts for a potential The Goonies sequel, but there hadn’t been one that could live up to the original.
However, Feldman added that now that they no longer have Donner, it would be a lot harder to make The Goonies 2 happen. In 2023, at the Golden Globes press room, Ke Huy Quan (who played Data), shared that they had read numerous scripts for a potential The Goonies sequel, but there hadn’t been one that could live up to the original. Quan also mentioned Donner’s pᴀssing as a reason it would be very difficult to have a sequel, calling him the captain of the ship, though he would love to revisit Data.
What’s known about The Goonies 2 so far is that Chris Columbus is returning to write a treatment, but there are no details about the director and cast yet. There also aren’t any plot details about The Goonies 2 yet, so it’s unclear how it could involve the original characters or if they will be part of this new story at all.
The Goonies Is One Classic Movie That Needs To Be Left Alone
Sorry, But The Goonies 2 Doesn’t Sound Like A Good Idea
Richard Donner’s absence isn’t the only thing that keeps me from being excited about The Goonies 2. Reboots and long-awaited sequels have been great for some franchises, such as Scream and Halloween (even if not all the new movies were great), but that doesn’t mean that every successful and beloved movie needs one. The Goonies falls into the latter category, and it’s all thanks to the quality of the first movie and its incredible legacy.
The Goonies’ story also isn’t one that could ever need a sequel, and it risks becoming repeтιтive.
The Goonies has that charm of 1980s movies that just can’t be replicated, and the chemistry between the young cast is also very unique – surely, it could be channeled again now that they are adults, but it will never be the same. The Goonies’ story also isn’t one that could ever need a sequel, and it risks becoming repeтιтive, as it would be hard to recapture that unique essence. I have my doubts about The Goonies 2, but I will give it the benefit of the doubt until more details are revealed.
Sources: The Making of The Goonies, Dread Central.
