The Real Reason Goonies 2 Probably Won't Happen | EXCLUSIVE

Like other classics before it, such as It’s a Wonderful Life and The Big Lebowski, The Goonies was not heralded as a piece of iconic Americana right out of the gate. In fact, when it arrived in the summer of 1985, it received fare to middling reviews with some critics calling it a noisy, vulgar Indiana Jones rip-off for the prepubescent set. Times change, though, and what may have initially been written off as fun seasonal fodder is now considered one of the all-time cinematic greats, and has gone on to become the most popular family movie in Warner Bros.’ long and storied catalogue history, even eclipsing The Wizard of Oz. Like other true classics of a bygone era, The Goonies didn’t ever get a sequel. Upon its release, it looked like a ‘one and done’ deal. But low and behold, over thirty years later, people involved with the original movie still insist that a sequel will happen some day. But in our recent exclusive interview with Corey Feldman, the actor who played Mouth put a pretty big kibosh on the whole idea.

Don’t get Mr. Feldman wrong. He’d very much love to see The Goonies 2 actually happen. The idea never really solidified until April of 2014, when original director Richard Donner declared the sequel was officially happening with the entire original cast returning. In the two years since he made that statement, there has been a lot of talk about this potential follow-up. But no real movement of any sort. And now, it seems the entire idea of making a sequel may have finally run out of gas. And it all falls on Richard Donner.

Sure, the man had been pretty adamant about The Goonies 2 actually happening. But Corey Feldman, who has been making the rounds promoting his epic new 2-part album Angelic 2 the Core, available in stores and online now, wants to point out one really big reason why Mouth, Mikey and the gang may not ever go treasure hunting again. And let’s face it, when all is said and done, it might just be for the best.

“Richard Donner is 87 years old. And it’s like, no one really wants to make it without him. He’s the driving force behind it. He says it’s still alive. But as we all know…When you get to that age, things slow down quite a bit. There is a big possibility that he might not want to keep driving it. So, I think without him, it doesn’t happen. And every day that passes, that he doesn’t do it, there is less and less chance that it is ever going to happen at all.”

While Corey has long been a champion of getting a sequel in motion, watching what’s happened with the new Ghostbusters reboot has put the whole thing in a new perspective. And the actor thinks it might be better to just leave it alone. He certainly doesn’t want to tarnish the legacy in any way. Something fans claim has happened to the original 1984 Ghostbusters with this upcoming All-Female reboot that will be in theaters later this month. No matter what happens with The Goonies, or what a follow up actually turns out to be, there will be haters. You just can’t stop that. Feldman goes onto say this.

“It could have a very bad backlash! At the end of the day, and I have said this before, the only way a Goonies sequel happens, and is forgivable to the fan base…Is if it is done right. And what does that look like? Obviously I don’t know. Because I’m not Steven Spielberg, I’m not Richard Donner, I’m not Chris Columbus. Those are the guys that make this decision. I know that they are all geniuses. And I implore nothing but the highest levels of respect and trust for their process and what they do. If, at the time, they want my opinion, I will certainly be happy to give it to them.”

Of the original cast, only four of the main players have maintained steady acting careers, including Corey Feldman, Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Martha Plimpton. All of whom have expressed a desire to return at some point over the last two years. While they all remain friendly with each other, it’s kind of amazing that none of them have attempted to bank off The Goonies name by appearing in an unrelated movie together. While Feldman and Astin often share a sound booth recorded new voices for the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle animated series now airing on Nickelodeon, none of them have appeared together on the big screen in the 30 years since the original came out. But of the cast, perhaps Feldman and Astin have remained the closest. As Feldman has told us before, he and Sean did attempt to write a treatment for The Goonies 2 that turned out to be a little too ambitious. Feldman explains.

“As I’m sure you read, Sean and I actually did create a treatment which we brought into Richard Donner, which he actually liked quite a bit. But, unfortunately, he felt it was too expensive for what they have in mind. So, that said, I’m not a mind reader. I don’t know what that special magic recipe is that they are looking for. But I know that everyone’s fear is, ‘What are the odds of capturing magic in a bottle twice?’ And it’s a long shot. At the end of the day, I think if everyone was going to get involved and do it, it would have to be something that was just so magical, so awe-inspiring and breathtaking, that every person said, ‘This is a home run, this is it, we’ve got it, this is the one.’ I know if that script comes in, we’ll be getting that call.”

That said, Sean Astin did recently drop some seemingly big news. While attending the Phoenix ComicCon four weeks ago, he claimed that Goonies 2 would bring back One-Eyed Willy. Corey Feldman doesn’t believe that is true, and says there isn’t any new movement on the movie at all. He’s not sure what Sean was talking about, and has this to say about the pirate’s seeming return.

“Unless Sean has a magic ball somewhere…One of those magic eight balls which is telling him that One-Eyed Willy is going to be starring in a new Goonies film…I have no idea what he is talking about. As a matter of fact, I read that. I was like, ‘What?’ I think that is one of those little asterisk quotes if I know my buddy, and I do know my buddy…So, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have any information that I don’t have. And if he does have that information, I’m sure he would have shared it with me. I think its just one of those good old fashion Hollywood rumor mills working again.”

Last year, producer Frank Marshall confirmed that The Goonies 2 wasn’t really a sequel. That it will be a reboot. With Richard Donner looking to tap out, this is most likely what will happen with the property. If Ghostbusters actually turns out to be a hit, most likely, The Goonies will return as a full-blown remake with none of the original cast in their original roles. Cameos aren’t being ruled out. But we wouldn’t see Mouth and Mikey together again if such a scenario actually happens. Which may be against some fans beliefs in what should be done with this property. That begs the question, though, why hasn’t Corey Feldman and Sean Astin just teamed up for a movie together where they get to go on an adventure, and it’s not The Goonies? But just a fun movie for the fans who want to see them back together on the big screen. Well, as it so happens, that almost did happen. Corey explains when asked if he and Sean would ever consider co-starring in a non-Goonies movie just for the fans who’d rather see that happen than a reboot or remake.

“I’d be open to it, you know? I’m not opposed to it. I’d certainly like to work with Sean on a bigger scale. It’s just something where we’ve never even discussed doing something like that. There is a movie that I’m supposed to direct, that I co-wrote with Stephen Rowley, who brought me this incredibly funny comedy called The Straight Man. I actually acquired it and put it into pre-production. And Sean was going to play one of the leads in that movie, which would have put us in some very interesting scenes that would have definitely sent the audience through the roof. That said, the movie has not gotten made. We were just about to get it set up, it was all financed and ready to go, and that was right at the time the Two Coreys ended up moving forward as a TV series. Then we all know what happened. I went into Lost Boys 2, and then back to the Two Coreys, and then I did Lost Boys 3. It ended up we were four years later, and it’s like, ‘What happened to that movie? What happened to my solo album?’ Well, there’s the reason why this record took a decade to make.”

While they haven’t appeared on the big screen together in over thirty years, Astin and Feldman did team up for the viral music video hit Ascension Millennium, which is part of Corey’s new two-part album. About getting Sean to come aboard for a fun cameo, he says it was easy to convince his old friend. But it actually turned into something more than either one of them was expecting.

“I’m still very, very grateful that he was kind enough to lend his time and spend the afternoon with us. Which I said, ‘Hey, come over for an hour, it’s a one shot thing. It will be in and out. I literally just need you at the bottom of the stairs, you’ll stand there for a minute, and then we’ll move on.’ He was like, ‘No problem.’ Then next thing we know, he’s co-directing the video with me. But that’s Sean’s good nature, and that’s why I love him so much.”

While most of The Goonies cast has said they will return, there is one hold out. Jeff Cohen, who played Chunk and introduced the iconic Truffle Shuffle to the world, says he won’t be back. He is recognized as one of Hollywood’s leading ‘Showbiz Strategists’ and recently published the book, ‘The Dealmaker’s Ten Commandments’. He doesn’t really have time for acting. But Corey thinks, if The Goonies 2 did actually happen, it wouldn’t take much to get Chunk back in the game.

“When there’s a script and an offer on the table, and Spielberg calls and says, ‘Ah, come on!’ I have the tendency to feel he might change his mind.”

Right now, The Goonies 2 is right where it was when Richard Donner officially announced it was happening over two years ago. There is still no script. And with each passing day, it feels more and more like we won’t get to see the denizens of the Goondocks reunite in Astoria. When all is said and done, that will probably be for the best. While a sequel probably won’t ever happen, you can rest assured, Warner Bros. will probably find a way to remake or reboot it without the original cast and filmmakers involved. And then…Well, we’ll see how Ghostbusters goes before we call any rash judgements.