"Gremlins" is a beloved film. The hit 1984 horror comedy has inspired more than a few people since its release. Legendary post-rock band Mogwai is named after the film's iconic creatures, and the movie was so unexpectedly violent that it helped spawn the PG-13 rating.
But then came "Gremlins 2," and the less successful sequel put the franchise on ice. Chris Columbus, who wrote the first movie, has been working on a "Gremlins 3" script ever since, and now, it looks like his hard work is paying off. 41 years since the first movie, Warner Bros. Discovery officially announced during a third-quarter earnings call that Columbus would be reuniting with fellow legendary director Steven Spielberg for "Gremlins 3." The movie is tentatively slated for a Nov. 19, 2027, release date, 37 years after "Gremlins 2" and 43 years after the original Gremlins movie that started it all.
The news was revealed by company CEO David Zaslav (h/t The Hollywood Reporter). The WBD chief revealed the new movie is officially greenlit and that Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment will be producing the project. Spielberg and Amblin were also involved in the first Gremlins movie, alongside Columbus, but Columbus did not return for the sequel.
Will 'Gremlins 3' acknowledge 'Gremlins 2'?
We don't know official story details about "Gremlins 3" yet, but I'll be curious to see if the film acknowledges "Gremlins 2." As I already mentioned, the "Gremlins" writer wasn't involved in the sequel, which saw Gizmo the mogwai transported to New York City.
That sequel was less successful than the original horror-comedy, but did eventually develop a cult following. So that will leave Columbus and Steven Spielberg with the tough decision of whether or not to ignore the second film or just pick things up after the first.
For his part, Columbus has dropped some breadcrumbs over the years about a potential third Gremlins movie. In 2017, he told Slash Film that the third movie could involve killing off the iconic mogwai, Gizmo, given that all mogwai seem to come from him and his offspring. "I think it probably is a good idea to be honest with you," Columbus told the outlet. "Too many people are dying."
"I'm really proud of the script," he continued. "It is as twisted and dark as anything, so we'll see. It's always a budgetary conversation when we're going to shoot it. I wanted to go back to the really twisted sensibility of the first movie. I found that was a very easy place for me to fall back into and start writing again so hopefully we'll see that movie soon."
Columbus also said there'd be minimal CGI in "Gremlins 3," something he's since doubled down on. I would still do it the same way," He told ComicBook in 2020. "I would do it as tangible puppets, not CGI. Maybe having — you know, we had one stop-motion scene in the first Gremlins, but I don’t think I’d use much CGI in 'Gremlins 3.'”
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
