A Goonies based TV series is in development for Disney+ from Warner Bros. Television.
However, the series isn’t a remake or a reboot or even a sequel. According to Variety’s Michael Schneider the series is “about a teacher who helps her students re-create, shot-for-shot, the original movie.”
The script comes from Sarah Watson, who originally wrote a pilot for Fox, but the studio passed on it believing it was too young for the network.
Warner Bros. Television’s Head of Development Clancy Collins White explained the series’ journey to Disney+, “Sarah worked nonstop to deliver this incredible script, we had our table read, and then the world shut down for COVID.”
“So we came back many months later and finished the beautiful pilot, and it was an incredible cast, but unfortunately a little bit too young for Fox. And so we immediately swung into high gear and hit the town with it,” she elaborated.
White concluded, “We did not yet have anything in development at Disney Plus. It’s been another example of being able to carve a pathway where there wasn’t one by virtue of a great story, a great pilot, a great series. The deal has taken a while to make, but we’re really excited to be moving forward.”
The series is being produced by The Donner Company and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners. Richard Donner directed the original The Goonies movie, which was based off a story by Spielberg, who served as the film’s executive producer.
This time around Amblin TV’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce alongside Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady of The Jackal Group. They are also joined by Lauren Shuler Donner and the late Richard Donner.
The original The Goonies film was released on June 7, 1985. It’s official description as provided by Amblin begins, “In a harbor town under siege by greedy land developers working to turn out families, demolish a neighborhood and turn ‘the Goondocks’ side of town into a golf course, a group of friends who call themselves ‘The Goonies’ rally to save their family homes.”
The description continues, “Desperate to help their parents raise enough money to stop the bank from foreclosing, The Goonies follow a mysterious old treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting and treacherous passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, gemstones and ‘rich stuff’!”
“Pursued by criminals also after the hidden treasure, The Goonies race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys, their malevolent mama…and Sloth, a mild-mannered behemoth with a face only his mama could love,” it concludes.
The movie starred Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, and Anne Ramsey.
According to The-Numbers the film grossed $124 million at the worldwide at the box office. It reportedly had a budget of just $19 million.
What do you make of this new Goonies TV project at Disney+?