Get ready for creepy creatures and treasure hunts. Fans of “Gremlins” and “Goonies” – classic films from the 1980s – may soon be able to see new live-action releases tied to them, according to a new report.
Not much is known about the projects. They were briefly referenced in a Deadline article published this week about what to expect from Warner Bros. studio in the future.
While “Barbie” brought the studio success in 2023, its global box office declined last year, said Deadline’s report. It said that Warner Bros. hopes to rebuild in 2025 and has an “auteur-charged slate of 13 titles,” planned for the upcoming year.
This slate doesn’t include the “Gremlins” or “Goonies” films. Instead it is helmed by James Gunn’s “Superman” and also includes expected released from Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Bong Joon Ho.
However, the beloved 80s films are expected to play a part in Warner Bros. hopes for future franchisees, Deadline explained. It said that “a new ‘Gremlin’s from Christopher Columbus and a ‘Goonies’ treatment.”
Columbus – known for directing the first two “Home Alone” and “Harry Potter” films – wrote the screenplays for both of the original “Gremlins” and “Goonies” films. “Gremlins” was released in 1984 and was followed by a sequel, “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” in 1990 as well as an animated series. While the “Goonies” – directed by Richard Donner, who died in 2021 – has never had a sequel, there have long been rumors of one and the film has inspired other works, including the popular Netflix series “Stranger Things.”
Other titles associated with Warner Bros. future franchise plans include “Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum”, “Practical Magic 2”, DC’s “Clayface and Supergirl” a new “Matrix”.
Gremlins
In the 1984 film directed by Joe Dante, main character Billy Peltzer receives a gift his father purchased in Chinatown – a small creature called a Mogwai. Chaos ensues after the creature touches water. More of them appear and they turn into the titular, creepy Gremlins that wreak havoc with technology. Gremlins cause trouble in a skyscraper in the 1990 sequel.
Columbus talked to Collider about a potential “Gremlins 3” around five years ago.
“I wrote a script, so there is an existing script. We’re working out some rights issues right now, so we’re just trying to figure out when the best time to make that film would be,” he said. “I would still do it the same way – I would do it as tangible puppets, not CGI.”
According to Newsweek, the “Gremlins” project referenced by Deadline will “be a sequel rather than a reboot.”
Goonies
A group of friends goes on a treasure hunt while trying to save their homes from foreclosure in “Goonies”.
“Columbus has previously been reported to have been part of discussions with Donner, executive producer and fellow writer Steven Spielberg, and Lauren Schuller Donner to develop a sequel, as revealed during a reunion event in 2020,” said ScreenRant of a potential new “Goonies” project.
Newsweek said it isn’t clear if the project would be a reboot or a sequel. It’s cast features actors who are still well known: Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan, Jeff Cohen, Martha Plimpton, and Kerri Green. However, Newsweek noted that there is no word on their involvement yet.
“While Columbus joining the production of a potential ‘Goonies’ sequel is a promising sign, it is presumed that the movie is still early in development,” said ScreenRant. “As such, it is unclear just what direction he will take with the franchise.”