Two iconic movies from the 1980s are set to make a comeback in the 2020s. Warner Bros. is currently in the early stages of developing a third Gremlins movie and exploring the possibility of a Goonies reboot.

Reports indicate that Warner Bros. is collaborating with Christopher Columbus on a new Gremlins film and working on a treatment for The Goonies. While specific details remain under wraps, the news emerged as part of the studio’s broader strategy to expand some of its biggest franchises, including The Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, and the DC Universe. Additionally, a sequel to the 1998 romantic fantasy Practical Magic, with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock reprising their roles, is also in development.

This isn’t Warner Bros.’ first attempt to revive the Gremlins franchise in recent years. In 2023, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai premiered on Max. The animated prequel series, set in 1920s Shanghai, follows a young Sam Wing, the original owner of Gizmo. Its second season, retitled The Wild Batch, will bring the story to San Francisco.

A third Gremlins movie was previously in development during the 2010s, with Columbus attached, but the project never came to fruition. Columbus’ involvement in this new installment is significant, as he did not participate in the 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch or the animated series.

The Goonies: A Return to Adventure?

The potential Goonies project appears to be in an earlier phase than the new Gremlins movie, as it is still in the treatment stage—a precursor to a full script. It’s unclear whether the project will be a remake or a legacy sequel to the 1985 classic. However, the original cast has expressed enthusiasm about returning for a continuation.

In September 2024, Sean Astin, who starred in the original film, shared a fan poster for a sequel titled Goonies Are Good Enough on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “It’s our time. C’mon Steven [Spielberg].” Astin has been vocal about his desire for a sequel, stating in a 2014 interview that director Richard Donner was interested in revisiting the story. Unfortunately, Donner passed away in 2021 at the age of 91.

Ke Huy Quan, who played Data in The Goonies, has also spoken about the challenges of making a sequel. In a January 2023 interview with Variety, he explained that finding a script that lives up to the original has been the main obstacle. “For over 30 years, we’ve tried to do a Goonies 2,” Quan said. “When I was younger, I hoped it would happen because I thought it might revive my career. We had several scripts, but none felt right for the legacy of the original. Sadly, we lost our captain, Dick Donner, whom I dearly loved. I’m not sure if Goonies 2 will ever happen, but I’d love to revisit my character if it does.”

The box office for Wicked hits a significant milestone worldwide as it gets ready to surpass Godzilla x Kong and Kung Fu Panda 4.

Wicked is still doing well despite recent box office releases that have caused significant disappointment. The most recent Wizard of Oz musical was too good for the Spider-Man villain and the Tolkien adaption to compete with Kraven the Hunter and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim in the same week. Wicked has already exceeded its $145 million budget following a record-breaking first weekend that raked in over $160 million globally.

It has achieved even more success this past weekend. Variety said that after making $359 million domestically, the musical adaption made over $524 million internationally. It is currently on track to surpass Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Kung Fu Panda 4, which brought in $547.6 million and $571.1 million, respectively. Having significantly outperformed Grease’s $188.62 million total, it is also officially the highest-grossing Broadway adaption in domestic box office history.

What the Box Office Success of Wicked Means

Musicals and animated blockbusters are regaining their position at the box office after ten years of action film supremacy. Inside Out 2 and Despicable Me 4 have taken first and third place for the entire year, while Moana 2 and Wicked are the top films this weekend. With a $1.3 billion box office total, Deadpool & Wolverine is still in second place, but it’s probably the only action film to stay in the top five globally. Dune: Part Two may lose its position when Mufasa: The Lion King is released the following week:

This pattern is probably due to the fact that, other from Deadpool & Wolverine, neither DC nor Marvel have released any successful films this year. With Joker: Folie à Deux, DC tried to duplicate its $1 billion triumph, but it only made $200 million globally. With the exception of Wicked, every film in the top 10 global releases for 2024 has been a sequel, creating a distinct market. Based on a Broadway musical and The Wizard of Oz, Wicked is not a completely original film, but its box office performance does demonstrate that non-sequels may be successful in theaters in today IP-driven landscape.

Todd Haynes was planning to cast Danny Ramirez and Joaquin Phoenix in a gay romance movie. However, Phoenix left the untitled production five days before Guadalajara, Mexico, filming got underway.

At the Academy Museum Gala on Saturday night in Los Angeles, Ramirez told Variety’s Marc Malkin, “It’s definitely disappointing.” “If anything,” he continued, “If anything, it just gave me more inspiration to keep driving, keep pushing, and knowing that I’m on the right path and approaching the work the right way. So that’s what I’m excited about.”

The movie, which depended on Phoenix’s casting, was in danger after it was revealed in August that he had quit the production, according to sources. Two guys in love in the 1930s who escape Los Angeles and travel to Mexico were the main subject of the NC-17-rated movie.

“It’s definitely a very complicated situation,” Ramirez stated. “The audition process was extensive, and so what I walked away with that was just the artistic validation of throwing down opposite of [Phoenix] in this chemistry read… There was a moment that I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve arrived as a performer.’”

“The most recent update is ‘hopefully.’” Ramirez said in response to a question about whether the movie is still in development with filmmaker Haynes.