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New Gremlins Movie Will ‘Definitely’ Be A Reboot
According to writer/director Chris Columbus, we can expect to see a new Gremlins movie sometime in the foreseeable future. However, if you’re expecting Gremlins 3 to be a straightforward sequel, following on from the big city mayhem that was shown in Gremlins 2: The New Batch, then you’re probably going to be disappointed.
The much-loved horror/comedy Gremlins was released in 1984 and directed by Joe Dante. The Warners Bros. movie had Steven Spielberg as the executive producer and was written by Columbus. The canny mix of cuteness, dark humor, and elaborate creature effects went on to become something of a cultural phenomenon, and was even thought to have a hand in changing the MPAA ratings system. Gremlins 2: The New Batch was released in 1990 and included the original stars Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates, as well as the lead Mogwai Gizmo. Also directed by Dante but written by Charles S. Haas this time, it was far more satirical and had more anarchic humor, sometimes breaking the fourth wall and directly referencing the audience. In the years since then, rumors about a third Gremlins movie have periodically surfaced, with Warners rumored to be negotiating for a remake back in 2013, and Columbus confirming its development in 2015.
Movement on the project has been slow since then, but last year Columbus stated that he had personally completed a script for the next Gremlins film and that it was ‘twisted and dark‘, returning to some of the sensibilities of the first movie and even teasing that Gizmo might not survive. There have been no official updates on the project since then, but in a recent interview with Metro US, the writer/director confirmed that the film was still going ahead and revealed one important detail:
“”Gremlins” we are actively talking about that. So that’s what I am working on with my production company 1492 Pictures… It will almost definitely be a reboot.”
As far as updates go it’s minimal, but it does confirm that development on the film is still continuing and will hopefully result in further announcements soon. The use of the word ‘reboot‘ is likely to be contentious to some, especially as Galligan has been campaigning for a new film for some time and categorically stated in 2016 that he believed there would never be a Gremlins reboot, only a sequel. Obviously things change with time, but it’s worth noting that Columbus uses the word ‘reboot‘ instead of ‘remake‘, so it could be a case of moving on from the events of the first two films instead of just erasing them from existence.
As it stands at the moment, there are obviously no details for the cast, director, or possible production dates. Still, the continued assurances from Columbus that he is getting closer to making the film happen inspires some confidence. The legacy of Gremlins remains strong to this day, with a recent re-release to theaters, and a Gremlins cameo in Spielberg’s Ready Player One. Without doubt the production would pick up a lot of interest if/when the cameras finally start to roll on a third film, whatever its connection is to the original Gremlins.
