A new installment in the beloved Gremlins franchise is officially in development. Warner Bros. has greenlit Gremlins 3, with a theatrical release set for November 19, 2027.
Steven Spielberg, 78, will return as an executive producer for the film. Chris Columbus, who penned the original 1984 Gremlins, is set to direct and produce the third entry.
Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, known for directing Final Destination Bloodlines, will handle the screenplay.
Warner Bros. Pictures President of Development and Production, Jesse Ehrman, expressed enthusiasm for the project. He stated the studio is "more than excited to bring it back for both lifelong fans and a new generation."
Ehrman added that it is a "privilege to work alongside Steven, Chris, and the entire creative team." The studio hopes audiences will experience the "magic, mayhem, and heart of Gremlins" in 2027.
Currently, details regarding the plot, cast, and other specifics for Gremlins 3 remain undisclosed.
The original Gremlins premiered in 1984. It starred Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, and Frances Lee McCain. Howie Mandel lent his voice to Gizmo, the lead gremlin.
The dark comedy followed Billy (Galligan) after he received Gizmo as a pet. He was given three crucial rules for its care: keep it away from sunlight, do not get it wet, and do not feed it after midnight.
When these rules were not carefully followed, Gizmo spawned more of his kind. These new creatures evolved into monsters that unleashed havoc on Billy’s hometown on Christmas Eve.
Gremlins was a significant box office success, grossing $212 million worldwide.
A sequel, Gremlins 2, arrived in 1990. Galligan, Cates, and Mandel reprised their roles. John Glover, Robert Prosky, Robert Picardo, and Christopher Lee also joined the cast. Joe Dante directed, with Charles S. Haas writing the screenplay.
Gremlins 2 continued the story as Gizmo once again got wet, leading to more creatures. This time, the monsters caused chaos in New York City.
The second film generated $41.5 million at the box office. While less commercially successful than its predecessor, it garnered generally positive reviews and later became a cult classic.
Acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino has notably praised Gremlins 2 over the years. He defended it during a December 2021 appearance on Eli Roth’s "History of Horror" podcast.
Tarantino described the film as a "MAD Magazine-style parody of the first Gremlins." He said it "actually gets better every single time you see it" and called it "the first of those gag movies that 100 percent works from start to finish since Airplane!"
More recently, the franchise reached a younger audience with Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. The 2023 animated series serves as a prequel, detailing Gizmo’s early life in 1920s Shanghai with his owner, Sam Wing.
The Gremlins animated series has aired for two seasons on HBO Max.