Recently, Josh Brolin addressed why he feels so hesitant to make The Goonies 2. Directed by Richard Donner and based on a story by Steven Spielberg, 1985’s cult classic movie, The Goonies, follows a group of children hoping to save their homes from foreclosure by finding the lost treasure of the legendary pirate, One-Eyed Willy.

The Goonies was a critically and commercially successful film, grossing $69 million worldwide on a budget of $19 million. In fact, in 2017, it was even selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” As a result of its classic status, it is no surprise that a sequel has been discussed.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, The Goonies star Josh Brolin addressed reports of a sequel, stating his worries about a second film. When the interviewer said they hoped The Goonies 2 would happen, Brolin stated: “Of course you hope it does. Like, I hope it does because the experience was so great. The movie is received so well generation after generation.”

However, Brolin also added: “The trepidation that I have is that you release something else that taints that. I don’t want to taint my memory of it.” The actor goes on to say that there have been multiple scripts written that Spielberg has turned down, describing the director as “picky.” Check out Brolin’s full comments below:

Of course you hope it does. Like, I hope it does because the experience was so great. The movie is received so well generation after generation. It’s just everything good about it.

The trepidation that I have is that you release something else that taints that. I don’t want to taint my memory of it. You know what I mean? And it’s like, “Oh, we came out with another, and then the Goonies grew up, and then they came out with their walkers, and then they fell off a cliff because they couldn’t see very well.” Like, what are you going to do? I don’t know.

Maybe it could be great. If it’s great, you’ll know. Like, if Spielberg approves it, you know it’s going to be good. But, there, I think there’s been five scripts so far through the years and he hasn’t approved anything yet. So… me being picky, Spielberg is picky, and he has a reason to be because he has great taste.

What Josh Brolin’s Comments Mean For The Goonies 2

Brolin isn’t the only Goonies actor who has discussed this. In February 2025, Ke Huy Quan talked about The Goonies 2, stating: “In the last four years, Warner Bros. has tried. We’ve hired numerous writers, and there are multiple scripts out there. But somehow, I guess Spielberg feels that none of them lives up to the original.“

Brolin’s recent interview backs up Quan’s previous comments about a sequel. Therefore, even though there are reports from February 2025 about The Goonies 2 being in development with Potsy Ponciroli returning as writer, Brolin has seemingly not heard much more about this, and if he has, the actor is keeping quiet on any potential development there.

Our Take On The Goonies 2

Steven Spielberg reportedly being “picky” about sequel scripts is a good sign that The Goonies 2 won’t be a cash grab if it eventually gets made. However, even if a Potsy Ponciroli script is in development, having gone through so many different versions over the years, it may be that nothing will bring back The Goonies after its ending in 1985.

The cast of The Goonies has made some great movies, yet they still have a lot of respect for the film, which is nice to see. However, despite their enthusiasm, I think The Goonies should stay as a standalone, as nothing could compare to the original’s cult classic status and, like Josh Brolin says, The Goonies 2 could “taint” the original.

Sources: Entertainment Tonight