The Goonies is a beloved 1980s movie that many a LEGO Pirates fan grew up watching, so perhaps it’s long overdue for The LEGO Group to mine nostalgia from this classic film.
Or maybe yer never seen the movie and this be an exciting period of discovery for yer.
One side is the Inferno ship, the other is caverns depicting key scenes from the movie
During August 2024 the LEGO Ideas Team announced a submission to their “If we could turn back time” challenge would be officially produced as an official LEGO set, at an indeterminate point in the future.
So today we shall be digging deeper into “The Goonies (1985)” by Delusion Brick…
Delusion Brick writes:
Who among us isn’t familiar with The Goonies?
It wasn’t just a movie for me in the ’80s it was an extraordinary adventure brimming with the spirit of youth and camaraderie. Inspired by this, I’ve endeavored to create a concept that captures the essence of the adventures experienced by the film’s characters, from the mysterious caves of One-Eyed Willy to the enigmatic lost pirate ship.
And now for a 360 degree animated overview of the build:
If yer unable to view embedded videos be sure to watch it on YouTube.
Delusion Brick continues:
The set I’ve designed is a tribute to the journey’s outset and its thrilling conclusion. On one end, we start at the Fratellis’ hideout, navigate through caves laced with booby traps, and slide down into the heart of the adventure. On the opposite end, we encounter the legendary pirate ship of One-Eyed Willy himself. This set is a homage to all the movie’s heroes: Mikey, Brand, Chunk, Mouth, Andy, Stef, Data, Sloth, Jake, Francis, Mama Fratelli, designed to rekindle that sense of wonder and adventure.
And if yer not familiar with The Goonies movie, there be a detailed synopsis with photos later in this Blog Post.
The Build
Delusion Brick’s design cleverly fuses the facade of One Eyed Willy’s ship, The Inferno against the booby trapped filled cavern system leading to its resting place.
One side of the build resembles the “Inferno” ship
All the main characters are available as minifigures
The reverse side showcases the network of caves containing vignettes of key scenes throughout the movie.
How may riveting scenes can you spot?
The design is modular and there is film scene chronology between the caverns
On the left we meet the Fratellis in the restaurant and Brand in the basement
Towards the centre is the crushing fate of Chester Copperpot.
While further right; Stef stands beneath the wishing well
Towards the right is the bone piano, log bridge and water slide
The Ship on Screen
Fans who haven’t viewed the flick in a many year may have forgotten the ship isn’t actually a wreck.
On screen The Inferno was fully intact, full sails and no broken masts
Thus Delusion Brick’s build deviates from its source material, but how this may reflect in the finalised LEGO set remains to be seen.
Based on discussions in the LEGO Pirates Forum and social media, LEGO Pirate fans prefer ships with fabric sails, so the exclusion of such material may harm product sales.
Nonetheless, the Classic Pirates are still gathering data so here be a poll for yer:
Authenticity is a crucial aspect of honouring nostalgia based products. LEGO sets aren’t designed as identical matches their source of inspiration, yet fans are quite attuned to the finer details, so too much creative liberty may dissuade them from making a purchase… or two.
Yet, it’s no secret LEGO Ideas concepts tend to undergo generous revision before reaching consumers, so the initial submission may be radically altered.
The Goonies watch the Inferno sail away
Now that fans have been treated to the possibilities introduced with Barracuda Bay, expectations are no doubt astronomically high.
Originally submitted as a shipwreck island to LEGO Ideas by Bricky_Brick, the final design was executed as dual build to include both the shipwreck concept, and a fully independent Black Seas Barracuda remake.
“The Pirates Bay” LEGO Ideas submission versus the “Pirates of Barracuda Bay” final set
So the bar has been set! Fans may be expecting no less with The Inferno ship and adjoining cavern system, including all it’s diabolical devices of death.
Nonetheless, the Classic Pirates remain optimistic that the LEGO Design Team can work their magic and rock the AFOL world a second time!
I Haven’t Seen the Movie!
Maybe yer a youngin’, or maybe yer never got around to watching it… or maybe it’s been so long yer completely forgot!
Protagonists of The Goonies
But the one line synopsis be; a group of teenagers discover a treasure map and embark on a quest to uncover the treasure of the notorious pirate, One Eye Willy.
One-Eyed Willy’s crew and vast fortune
So this is yer cue to watch movie right now… or continue reading if yer don’t mind spoilers…
Detailed Synopsis
The Goonies is a 1985 adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner, based on a screenplay by Christopher Columbus and produced by Steven Spielberg.
Mouth, Mikey, Data and Chunk use the map of One Eyed Willy (aye, that’s actually their names)
In the small coastal town of Astoria, Oregon, a group of misfit kids from the “Goon Docks” neighborhood known as “The Goonies” stumble upon an ancient treasure map in the attic of their friend Mikey Walsh.
A Spanish doubloon reveals the locate of One Eye Willy’s tunnels
In a last-ditch effort to rescue their neighborhood from a greedy developer threatening the foreclosure of their homes, they embark on an adventure to find the long-lost treasure of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th century pirate.
The kids; Mikey, Data, Mouth, Chunk, along with Mikey’s older brother Brandon, his love interest, Andy, and her best friend, Stef, must navigate a series of underground tunnels filled with fiendish booby traps.
The film’s villains are not child friendly!
All the while, they’re pursued by the nefarious Fratelli crime family, who seek to claim the treasure for themselves.
The skeleton of One-Eyed Willy
During the film’s climax they discover Willy’s treasure laden ship, The Inferno. However, during the final confrontation with the Fratellis, they inadvertently unleash The Inferno from its subterranean entrapment, and it sails away with the bulk of the treasure.
During the final scene The Inferno sets sail
Where The Inferno and One-Eyed Willy’s fortune winds up has never been revealed… but with some ingenious set design, perhaps LEGO fans could continue the tale.
About the Builder…
Delusion Brick (Vaggelis Ntezes or the legendary 3D artist known as V) is a multi LEGO Ideas 10K Club Member (four times at last count) from Greece.
His LEGO Ideas profile is brimming with beautifully designed submissions, rendered in his gorgeous trademark style.
Builder Vaggelis Ntezes of Delusion Brick after the official LEGO Ideas announcement
His favourite LEGO themes include Castle, Batman and of course, Pirates!
Classic-Pirates.com has previously covered his Imperial Sailboat, “Belisarius” Skeleton Pirate Ghost Ship and Dimension Portal Lighthouse, but you can explore his broader talents via Instagram and Flickr.
Upon his YouTube Channel you’ll discover motion overviews which rotate 360 degrees and the camera zooms in upon key features. He also has Pinterest if yer would like to browse.
Delusion Brick is an accomplished LEGO Pirate builder
The Classic Pirates were alerted to Delusion Brick’s talents when he submitted Seagull Bay Lighthouse Imperial Fortress to LEGO Ideas back in 2021.
While the submission attracted 10,000 supporters, the LEGO Ideas Team rejected the design for commercial production.
It got all the way to 10K only for LEGO Ideas Team to say NAY!
Fortunately, Seagull Bay has been repurposed for the BrickLink Designer Program in recent times, so maybe one day it will appear among your LEGO Pirates collection.
Regardless, the Classic Pirates are extremely happy that Delusion Brick’s talents have finally been recognised by The LEGO Group in an official capacity!
What Do Yer Think?
Are yer a fan of The Goonies?
Would yer buy an official LEGO set inspired by Delusion Brick’s build??
How closely should the final design resemble the ship from the movie?
Is half a ship enough? Or do yer need the complete vessel?
Some tough questions need to be answered! What do you think is required to turn this concept into a successful LEGO set?
Let yer thoughts be known in the LEGO Pirates Forum.
