5. The story of One-Eyed Willie, The Goonies (1985)
In the almighty ’80s baby classic The Goonies, One-Eyed Willie’s treasure is the Holy Grail. Pre-teen Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin) becomes obsessed with the local legend of Willie’s loot after he finds a map in his parents’ attic; Mikey’s adventures with his ragtag group of nerdy friends lead him to Willie’s ship’s underground grave, where the now-skeletal pirate’s diamonds, rubies, and other pieces of booty are waiting to be taken.
Anyone who had half an imagination while growing up as a Goonies fan knows the story of One-Eyed Willie, also respectfully acknowledged as the “First Goonie” by Mikey. But we don’t know much about the old pirate’s death, or even how he lived. Was he a ruthless swashbuckler? A wench-banging lothario? A One-Eyed Willie “biopic” would, at the very least, fill in some blanks.
