'Treehouse Gang' is Grown-Up Version of 'The Goonies'

When a spec script is described as "a grown-up version of The Goonies" you'll either perk up immediately ... or groan because you really hated The Goonies. (You know who you are.)

Kent Alterman is hoping you're one of those who would still go hunting for buried treasure, because according to The Hollywood Reporter, he's just signed on to direct Treehouse Gang for Warner Bros. The grown-up adventure story was written by Role Models' Timothy Dowling, and centers on a group of six childhood friends who, in the spirit of their gold seeking youth, come back together for a treasure hunt. Naturally, they'll dig up a good dose of childhood nostalgia and old grudges along the road to recovering any buried treasure.

Alterman made his directorial debut with Semi-Pro, making a rare jump from a job as an executive producer overseeing big hits at New Line to becoming a full time director. The shift in focus was apparently partially the responsibility of Will Ferrell and a little film Alterman produced called Elf. The two struck up a friendship which resulted in Semi-Pro ... and I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Ferrell showed up somewhere in Gang.

We'll have to see where this goes, but a grown-up version of The Goonies sounds pretty damn appealing to me. Let's just hope that it doesn't stir up plans for an actual grown-up Goonies sequel, as my childhood memories can't take any more abuse.