For movie fans of a certain age The Goonies is one of those quintessential films that is as close to universally loved as any movie can get. It’s been three decades since we saw the last adventure of the group of friends, and the clamor for a sequel has never died down. So why has there never been another Goonies movie? Sean Astin says it’s because it’s so difficult to recreate that same magic a second time.
Speaking with Yahoo Movies, Astin, now 44 years old, would still love to see something new happen with the property, but he makes it sound like there’s a lot of fear regarding trying something new and getting it wrong.
They have lots of ideas and they’ve been developing in different ways, but I just don’t think they’ve arrived at what they think the best option is. I wish they’d just break the logjam, because it’s so popular, they could probably do a cartoon and a Broadway show and other versions of movies. I think they’re just holding on too tight…. It’s an older movie now, but the fun of it is so magical, and I think the reason they haven’t made it yet is they want to keep that same magic.
Sean Astin has previously described the creation of the first film in terms of all the right things coming together at the right moment. They likely didn’t even realize what they had done until it was released. Now, they continue to think and think about what might work, but the idea that they might lose that magic prevents them from taking steps. We’ve seen a number of reports over the years regarding potential sequels but nothing has ever come to fruition. At this point Astin, isn’t even sure if the original Goonies would even be in another movie, due to their ages. He suggests a film starring the children of the original characters, or a complete remake might make more sense.
Astin, for his part, sounds very ready to see something happen with the title. His comment that people are "holding on too tight" is fairly clear. The best solution may be to let go and make the leap and try to make something new. Trying too hard to recapture that magic has the potential to be just as damaging as not trying hard enough. By waiting so long, they’re only building the anticipation, and the expectation, that much more.
We’ll certainly be checking out any future Goonies movie (or cartoon or Broadway show) if it ever sees the light of day. While we’d hate to see it turn out bad, is that better or worse then never seeing it turn out at all?
