The pilot for a potential TV show based on the classic adventure movie The Goonies will not be taken to series by Fox. Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film follows a motley group of kids on a high-stakes treasure hunt guided by an old pirate’s map. The Goonies are intent on braving dangerous obstacles to obtain the buried doubloons, which they hope will allow them to forestall their homes’ foreclosure.
The Wrap reports that the network had to drop the series in order to make room for two new dramas, Monarch and The Cleaning Lady. Not quite a reboot, the now-canceled Goonies project would have been about three young filmmakers attempting to produce a shot-for-shot homage to Spielberg’s film. The TV drama from executive producers The Jackal Group, Amblin, The Donner Company was written by Sarah Watson and was to be directed by Greg Mottola.
Although this news is sure to disappoint die-hard Goonies fans, it’s understandable that Fox might see more potential in two new dramas than in a meta-commentary on a classic movie. Reboots of old favorites are generally a safe gamble, but the story about a Goonies reenactment may ironically have been too original.
Supposedly, the pilot was a success that only got nixed in favor of the other shows. Hopefully the creators will get a chance to see it through with another network. Here’s the synopsis for the (currently untitled) series:
After failing to make it in New York and carrying a heavy secret with her, Stella Cooper returns to her distressed automotive hometown to substitute teach. She finds inspiration, hope, and ultimately salvation when she agrees to help three students who are pursuing their filmmaking dreams by putting on an impossibly ambitious shot-for-shot remake of one of the student’s favorite movies…The Goonies.
