New series inspired by ‘The Goonies’ set for Disney+
'Our Time' follows a substitute teacher as she helps her students remake the 1985 cult favourite
By Joe Goggins
A new TV series based on the 1980s cult classic ‘The Goonies’ is in development for Disney+.
The long-mooted show was originally set for Fox, until they passed after seeing the pilot, according to TheWrap. Now, Variety reports that the project has been revived by Disney, under the name ‘Our Time’. It is expected to focus on the story of a teacher helping her film students to put together a shot-for-shot remake of the 1985 film, which was directed by Richard Donner from a script by Chris Columbus, based on a story from Steven Spielberg.
Sarah Watson, who created the comedy-drama ‘The Bold Type’, is set to return as creator and writer on ‘Our Time’. Donner died in July at the age of 91, but will still receive an executive producer credit, along with his wife and production partner Lauren Shuler Donner.
A synopsis for the show as originally envisioned at Fox reads: “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 favourite movies: ‘The Goonies.’”
‘Our Time’ will be produced by Warner Bros. TV. Clancy Collins White, executive vice-president and head of development, told Variety: “Sarah worked nonstop to deliver this incredible script, we had our table read, and then the world shut down for COVID. So we came back many months later and finished the beautiful pilot, and it was an incredible cast, but unfortunately a little bit too young for Fox. And so we immediately swung into high gear and hit the town with it. We did not yet have anything in development at Disney+. It’s been another example of being able to carve a pathway where there wasn’t one by virtue of a great story, a great pilot, a great series. The deal has taken a while to make, but we’re really excited to be moving forward.”
‘The Goonies’ helped launch the careers of actors including Sean Astin, Josh Brolin and Corey Feldman. Following the titular group of friends as they embark on a journey to discover the lost fortune of the legendary 17th-century pirate One-Eyed Willy, it was a critical and commercial success, and is widely considered one of the great cult films of the 1980s.