Fox has cast Ramon Rodriguez as the male lead of its drama pilot about a group of students who set out to remake the 1985 classic “The Goonies,” TheWrap has learned.
Written by “The Bold Type” creator Sarah Watson and directed by Greg Mottola, the currently untitled project follows Stella Cooper, who, after failing to make it in New York and carrying a heavy secret with her, returns to her distressed automotive hometown to substitute teach, according to the pilot’s logline. 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.” Over the course of the season, their passion will inspire a town in desperate need of hope in this love letter to the power of cinema, storytelling, and dreams.
The part of Stella has yet to be cast.
“Gang Related” alum Rodriguez has joined the potential series as Jax, “a former Marine, who owns the local hardware store in the small town of Ridgeville,” per the character description. “Jax has a mysterious background and is one of the few people in town that didn’t grow up there. Jax bonds with Stella, who has just returned home after 14 years away and he has a soft spot for Collin and his friends, who frequent his store to support all their adventures.”
Along with Watson and Mottola, executive producers on the series include Fox’s SideCar boss Gail Berman, as well as “The Goonies” director-producer Richard Donner. Other executive producers include Lauren Shuler Donner, Justin Falvey, Darryl Fran and Greg Mottola.
The pilot is produced by SideCar, as well as Warner Bros and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television, the companies behind the original film.
Rodriguez’s recent TV credits include “The Affair,” “Iron Fist” and “The Defenders.”
He is repped by UTA and Silver Lining Entertainment.