New installments in the Gremlins and Goonies franchises are reportedly in development at Warner Bros. In an overview of the studio’s upcoming slate, Deadline detailed what it has coming through the pipeline beyond 2025. “A new Gremlins from Christopher Columbus and a Goonies treatment” are listed among a bevy of other projects, including the various DC Universe movies in development, a new Matrix film written by Drew Goddard, and The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. It is unknown how far along the Gremlins and Goonies movies are.
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Gremlins and The Goonies were two of the more iconic Amblin Entertainment productions of the 1980s. Both films earned positive reviews from critics and performed well at the box office, but only the former received a sequel. Gremlins 2: The New Batch was released in 1990, and while it wasn’t as big of a hit as its predecessor, in the years since it’s garnerd a dedicated fan base. There have been discussions about a possible Goonies 2 for years, though more recently it’s been quiet on that front.
Despite not having a new theatrical release for decades, both properties remain touchstones of pop culture. The Goonies continues to influence modern productions, including Agatha All Along and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Meanwhile, the Gremlins franchise has spawned an animated TV show, which is a prequel to the films. The second season of the series, titled Gremlins: The Wild Batch, premiered in October 2024.
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It is worth keeping in mind that just because new Gremlins and Goonies movies are said to be in development it doesn’t mean they’ll actually happen. Chris Columbus, who wrote the original Gremlins, shared that he was “working on” a Gremlins film back in 2021, and so far nothing has come to fruition. In 2017, Goonies star Sean Astin went so far as to state Goonies 2 is “a lock.” Despite their enduring popularity, both of these properties seem to be having trouble getting fresh installments off the ground, so it’s possible these films will linger in development hell before they’re scrapped.
WB’s interest in revitalizing these franchises is understandable. Over the past several years, legacy sequels tapping into nostalgia for beloved classic movies have proven to be lucrative investments. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel released 36 years after the iconic original, went on to become director Tim Burton’s highest grossing film in over a decade, ending its theatrical run with $451.1 million worldwide. Especially with Columbus involved in at least the new Gremlins movie, there’s potential for both Gremlins and Goonies to post similar numbers and deliver more hits for the studio.
Whether not not these projects move further along will likely depend on how the scripts progress. It would be a shame if either franchise was revived to make a simple cash grab; the creative teams involved would probably want the movies to earn their place as worthwhile continuations. The trick would be cracking the narrative in a way that explores the premise from an unexpected angle to keep things fresh. That’s easier said than done, and as much fun as it would be to see the Goonies reunite for a new adventure or the Mogwai wreak havoc again, it might be better to let these properties rest if they can’t find a compelling way to bring them back.