Fans have been waiting years for sequels to two ofAmblin’s most beloved 80s movies. Way back in April of 2014, originalGooniesdirectorRichard Donnerclaimed thatThe Goonies 2was definitely happening with theentire cast set to return. Since that time, we’ve seen little to no development on the project. And producerSeth Grahame-Smithhas been promising aGremlinsreboot for almost as long. It would be easy for fans to assume neither of these projects is actually ever going to happen. ButChris Columbus, promoting his new sci-fi action comedyPixels, assures us neither movie is dead. And both are still in ‘heavy development’.
With both movies promised for so long, hardcore fans have tuned out most recent updates, writing it off as filmmakers who simply wish to keep their titles in the public consciousness. BothThe Goonies 2andGremlinshave gone in and out of development. Just look atGremlins. It was declared to be onindefinite holdjust six months ago. Then in April, Warner Bros. announced that the sequel/remake wasback on trackwithGoosebumpswriterCarl Ellsworth. As an original writer on both of these films,Chris Columbusrefuses to give up on them. He knows the studios will move forward without him if he lets them. And he doesn’t want that to happen to fans. He had this to say toScreen Crush.
“The stuff that I’m involved with - the Gremlins and Goonies reboots, for instance - they would do that without me. So, I’m staying involved just so I can be protective and actually protect what people love about those movies so it doesn’t go off track.”
Chris Columbuspromises he will not give up on these movies, no matter what happens. And he wants fans to hold out hope. They will arrive at some point, but wants you all to know, “it’s a slow process and I don’t think it will happen too quickly.” The director made his name known in 1984 with the script for the originalGremlins, a horror comedy that helped usher in the PG-13 era. And he quickly moved ontoThe Goonies, which has grown a feverish cult fan base ever since it’s release. He is not returning to pen the sequels himself, but he will have a hand in how the properties are handled moving into the future.
No plot details have ever been released for theGremlinsreboot, which will be more inline with the first two movies. It won’t try to rewrite the film’s timeline, or mess with any of the elements that have come before it. It’s not taking theTerminator Genisysroute, where time travel allows for a complete reworking of the original story. And it won’t be in-line with the currently shootingGhostbusters, which has completely wiped the history and characters of the franchise from existence. Instead,Gremlinswill take place in “the same universe, the same rules, same Gremlins.” Though, it should be noted that original directorJoe Dante, who also directed the sequel, will not be involved with the new film. And none of the original cast are confirmed to return.
The same can’t be said forThe Goonies 2. While it was believed that the entire cast and directorRichard Donnerwere set to return, that tide has turned ever so slightly. The main reason it hasn’t moved forward is because no one can crack the script. And what was once supposed to be a sequel may actually turn into a complete reboot. That’s the wordChris Columbusnow uses in describing the kid-friendly adventure. Once, it was believed to be a movie about the original Goonies chasing after their kids, who have embarked on a new treasure hunt. But in the past year, producerFrank Marshallhas boldly stated, “It’s not going to be a sequel.”
While many fans remain skeptical about eitherThe Goonies 2orGremlinshappening,Chris Columbusdoesn’t want anyone to stop believing.Jurassic Worldactually happened 22 years after the original, and it has gone onto become the biggest movie of 2015 and is on track to be one of the top three movies of all time. As it is an Amblin movie too, you can look forward to more active development on their past titles being rejuvenated. When will they actually happen is anyone’s guess at this point. What do you think? Do you want to see these movies become a reality? Or are they better left a memory to be relived on your futuristic streaming service?
