5 Amazing Movies like 'The Goonies' about Kids' Adventures

"The Goonies," an '80s kid-led adventure film, inspired a legacy of successors that remain beloved today. The movie was not only led by a star-studded cast, but the team behind the scenes went on to become Hollywood giants. They created more adventures like "The Goonies," though not without a few twists and extraordinary innovation.

"The Goonies," set in a small community in 1980s Oregon, follows the adventure of a group of young misfits who discover an ancient treasure map. They set out to find the valuables when their town falls under the threat of foreclosure. The film, written by the world-renowned Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus, debuted in cinemas in 1985.

It was hailed as one of the most iconic and beloved child-led adventure films of its decade and remains a cult classic today. Among the star-studded cast were actors Josh Brolin (who played Brand), Corey Feldman (who played Mouth), Sean Astin (who played Mikey), Ke Huy Quan (who played Data), and Jeff Cohen (who played Chunk).

"The Goonies" brimmed with cleverly curated heartwarming and hilarious moments and paved the way for many successors that drew off its themes and expanded. This article compiled five such films made by the same creators and others who introduced new twists and perspectives to the real-life concepts explored in "The Goonies."

The Lost Boys (1987)

"The Lost Boys" were initially inspired by "The Goonies," as the film's first screenwriter, James Jeremias, wanted to piggyback off the energy created by "The Goonies." Jeremias explained he had read the novel "Interview with a Vampire" by Anne Rice, about a 200-year-old vampire stuck in a 12-year-old girl's body.

The story resembled one of the writer's all-time favorites, "Peter Pan," and as the light bulb for "The Lost Boys" ignited, he thought, "What if the reason Peter Pan came out at night and never grew up and could fly was because he was a vampire?"

"The Lost Boys" went through many hands and ears before it reached the man who would direct it, Joel Schumacher. Schumacher almost rejected the original idea, but after giving it some thought, new ways to navigate the story came to light.

Instead of a kid-led adventure, "The Lost Boys" would follow the lives of two siblings, Michael (played by Jason Patric) and Sam (played by Corey Haim), living with their divorced mother. After the family of three moves to a new town, Michael and Sam discover it is riddled with breathtakingly gorgeous bloodsucking creatures: vampires.

In most of the previous fantasy movies, vampires were often portrayed as grotesque creatures; they had no physical attributes considered beautiful. But as Schumacher declared, he wanted them to be sexy, in their late teens, old enough to party and be sexually intimate with one another. It would be "the coolest vampire movie ever."

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

"E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" credits "The Goonies" final screenplay writer Spielberg as its director. The sci-fi adventure film has been arguably deemed his finest masterpiece in the kid-led genre. It follows Elliott (played by a then-young Henry Thomas), who stumbles upon an alien stranded on earth.

The two form an endearing friendship, and Elliot does all he can to protect and hide the extraterrestrial from the government while they find a way to contact E.T.'s home planet and secure a safe return. In addition to Thomas, the cast also included Drew Barrymore and Dee Wallace.

Now and Then (1995)

"Now and Then" is a nostalgic story following four women who gathered to help one of their friends prepare for birth. The comedy-drama alternates between the present and the summer of 1970 the four spent as children, remembering a time they thought they'd resurrected a boy during a seance.

"Now and Then," which starred Demi Moore, Rosie O'Donnell, Christina Ricci, and more, became one of the most definitive films about female friendship. Among the behind-the-scenes facts, Leonardo DiCaprio almost joined the cast, and there was a bet on who would "get with" co-star Devon Sawa first.

Moreover, the leading ladies who played the younger versions of their older characters didn't only bond on-screen, but they were close off-screen too. They formed a sisterly dynamic (always "correcting each other"), and that relationship helped strengthen their chemistry while filming.

Super 8 (2011)

Another adventure led by youngsters, directed by J.J. Abrams and produced by Spielberg, "Super 8" is an action sci-fi that sees a group of children witness a train accident while trying to film a movie. They catch an alien escaping from the vehicle on camera and run for their lives when the creature notices them.

A chain of unexplained events follows the incident, leading the group to launch an investigation. Although Spielberg only produced the movie, it is said that his flair for the genre is amply evident in "Super 8." Among its stars are Elle Fanning, Ryan Lee, and Zach Mills.

Stand by Me (1986)

Almost immediately after "The Goonies," 1986's adventure drama "Stand By Me" debuted another nostalgic story about four young friends who search for a dead body they heard could be found in the woods. It is told from the perspective of one of the boys, all grown up and a professional writer, following the death of one of his friends.

Feldman also appears in the film among the characters who go on a life-changing journey with near-death experiences that alter who they are. In addition to Feldman, "Stand by Me" also starred Wil Wheaton (the arch-nemesis of Jim Parson's Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory") and the late River Phoenix.