Josh Brolin says the long-rumored follow-up to 1985’s The Goonies remains stalled because Steven Spielberg has not yet approved any of the five scripts sent to him to date. Speaking at the Los Angeles premiere of Weapons this week, the actor admitted “trepidation” about reopening the story but said he still hopes the project happens for new generations of viewers.
In February Warner Bros. signaled fresh momentum, hiring Old Henry writer Potsy Ponciroli to tackle a new draft while keeping Spielberg, original screenwriter Chris Columbus and Amblin partners Kristie Macosko Krieger and Holly Bario on board as producers. IMDb’s industry news feed listed the hire among the studio’s slate updates. Industry outlet Punch Drunk Critics called the move the “big step forward” fans had waited for. Wikipedia now marks the sequel as confirmed as of 14 February 2025.
Cast enthusiasm remains high. At a 40-year anniversary screening in Salt Lake City, Sean Astin told fans a sequel “is going to happen,” though he admitted knowing nothing about the plot. Ke Huy Quan and Robert Davi have made similar remarks, and Collider reported that informal talks with Warner Bros. are already under way. Corey Feldman, meanwhile, has warned that excessive reliance on artificial intelligence could sap the film’s “magic.”
Any new chapter will proceed without director Richard Donner, who died in 2021; his widow Lauren Shuler Donner is attached as an executive producer to protect the original’s spirit. Warner Bros. aims to capture rising nostalgia for 1980s adventure stories as the original approaches its 40th birthday and reunion events continue to draw full houses.
Brolin maintains that Spielberg’s decision remains the decisive hurdle, noting the filmmaker’s exacting standards: “If Spielberg approves it, you know it’s going to be good.” Until that signature arrives, “Goonies never say die” doubles as both rallying cry and production challenge.
