Just under 40 years ago, The Goonies released to theaters. Over the next four decades, the film became a staple of cinema — a must-watch classic that helped establish the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Its never been remade — and never should be — and still The Goonies crops up on annual viewing lists decades after it first hit theaters. It’s held up incredibly well, and its popularity has urged fans to demand a sequel for years. Those demands may just be met with the release of The Goonies 2, but the sought-after sequel’s seen ceaseless issues hinder its development.
Could there be a Goonies 2?
Rumors of a Goonies sequel have been circulating for decades now, and legitimate chatter about The Goonies 2 started all the way back in the 2000s and 2010s. Back in 2014, the original film’s director, Richard Donner, confirmed the sequel was a go, and even indicated that the entire original cast would return.
In the years since, however, we’ve seen little movement. An array of issues have blocked the process from truly getting underway, from the ever-present ravages of time to more typical filmmaking hurdles, and it seems starkly unlikely that the film will ever come to fruition. What many see as the final nail in its coffin came about in 2021, when Donner — a figure most saw as necessary for a sequel to come to life — passed away.
Donner’s death at the age of 91 was, for most Goonies fans, concrete confirmation that no sequel will ever follow the 1985 classic.
What could the Goonies 2 release date be?
While it remains highly unlikely that Goonies 2 will ever see the light of day, the majority of the cast and crew that created the ’80s favorite are still around, and invested in the idea of a sequel. Should they come up with a workable idea, and take the steps necessary to bring the cast back, there’s still hope that The Goonies 2 could grace our screens.
If its ever going to happen, however, it will need to happen soon. Most of the cast featured in the original are already in their mid-50s by now, and — while that certainly doesn’t eliminate the possibility of a sequel — the competition that’s arisen over the last decade or so will make it challenging. Releases like Stranger Things and even the It remake are leaning into that ’80s nostalgia with remarkable success, and without a tight script and the perfect balance of ’80s remembrance and modern storytelling, any return to the world of The Goonies would be a mistake.
If — and its a major if — The Goonies 2 were to happen, it likely wouldn’t have a release date for at least a few years. The project isn’t even close to underway, which means it would need to secure its cast, write up a script, collect a crew, and initiate the production process before it even begins filming. That process takes time, which would leave the Goonies sequel with a release date of 2026 at the absolute earliest. 2027 – 2028 is honestly more likely — but, in the end, The Goonies 2 isn’t likely at all.