Gremlins 3: Will It Happen? Everything We Know (2024)

Gremlins 3 has been one of the most in-demand sequels in recent cinematic history, but will the project ever actually happen? Starting with the release of 1984's Gremlins, the iconic '80s franchise follows a young man named Billy Peltzer who is gifted a strange creature known as a Mogwai. Chaos ensues soon after when Billy fails to heed the strict rules of owning such a creature, and a roving band of Gremlins invades his sleepy town around Christmas. Noted for its eye-popping mechanical effects and director Joe Dante's black humor, Gremlins quickly became an archetypal '80s classic.

Amid a slew of ripoffs like the Ghoulies and Critters franchises, a lone Gremlins sequel was released in 1990, subtitled The New Batch. While the sequel has since become a cult classic and revered for its skewering of vapid '80s culture and the rise of technology, it failed to move the needle both critically and financially and put an end to the burgeoning franchise. In the more than three decades since, fans have been clamoring for more Gremlins, and with the rise of '80s legacy sequels, the time has never been better for Gremlins 3 to take shape.

RELATED: Gremlins 3 Has To Bring Back 1 Original Element In Order To Succeed

Gremlins 3 Latest News

Zach Galligan Is Confident In Gremlins 3

See Also

Gremlins 3: What Happened to the Planned Sequel?

Despite being an unconfirmed project, updates surrounding the threequel have been plentiful, with the latest news being a confident Gremlins 3 update from Zach Galligan. The star of both Gremlins movies has been a champion of the trilogy capper for years, and now Galligan is sure that the recent success of the animated series Secrets of the Mogwai is proof a live-action movie is coming.

"I can’t really figure out why Warner Bros. would do 2 seasons...of the animated series...unless there was some kind of endgame" said Galligan, "usually the endgame for a huge studio...is a live-action film. A live-action film is always where you’re going to make the most money". While Galligan's logic is sound, Warner Bros. Discovery has not made any moves toward a live-action film.

Gremlins 3 Is Not Confirmed

A Threequel Isn't On The Way Yet

Despite years of speculation and even a few serious talks from filmmakers like Christopher Columbus, Gremlins 3 is not an official project yet. The recent success of the animated series Secrets of the Mogwai is further proof that the franchise still has a strong base of popularity, but that was never really in jeopardy. Though legacy sequels like Top Gun: Maverick and shows like Cobra Kai confirm the '80s are still in vogue, Warner Bros. has given Gremlins 3 a wide berth.

Gremlins 3 Cast

Who Could Return?

Since Gremlins 3 is a purely speculative project at this point, so too is the cast a mere subject of guesswork and speculation. Nevertheless, Zach Galligan has been vocal about his desire for a sequel, meaning he would likely reprise his role as Billy Peltzer. Other returns are less certain, and the only major actor who returned in Gremlins 2 was Phoebe Cates who played Kate. The Fast Times at Ridgemont High star stepped away from the limelight in the mid-1990s, but Gremlins 3 might be the perfect project to bring her out of her unofficial retirement.

Gremlins 3 Story

Legacy Sequel Or Reboot?

Because Gremlins 3 is such an enigma, it isn't even really certain if it will be a straightforward sequel or a hard reboot of the franchise. Some reports mentioned that Gremlins 3 would have explored the mythology of the Mogwai, something that was achieved in the cartoon Secrets of the Mogwai, while others took things in a different direction. In 2018, Christopher Columbus insisted that Gremlins 3 would be a reboot, but that is much less certain years on.

Now, the most likely outcome, if Gremlins 3 does happen, is for it to follow the traditional legacy sequel formula involving as many nostalgic returns as possible. Movies like Top Gun: Maverick struck a perfect balance between nostalgia and modern thrills, and the Gremlins threequel could easily succeed that way as well. On the other hand, the franchise has never been one for following rules, and Gremlins 3 could defy fan expectations and deliver something totally wild.