More than a year after it was announced, Gremlins 3 is finally a real, tangible project, and to let everyone know, Warner Bros. has just released the very first video for the film, offering an initial glimpse of Gizmo — or at least a Mogwai that certainly looks like the saga's most famous creature. We see our little "cuddly toy" bundled up inside a backpack, complete with all the right squeaks and chirps, and that's your lot as far as teasing goes. It's thin gruel, obviously, but it does confirm one thing: the production has indeed gone back to the old ways, with practical effects and puppets on set, precisely to preserve that retro feel the series is known for.
Unfortunately, this first video comes with a small disappointment for fans, as Gremlins 3 has been delayed. The film was originally due out on 19 November 2027 in the United States, but Warner Bros. has now settled on 6 October 2028. In France, it should logically arrive a few days earlier, on Wednesday 4 October 2028, though that date is yet to be confirmed. And for this third instalment, the studio has decided to hand the reins to someone who knows this universe inside out: Chris Columbus himself, the man who wrote the screenplay for the first Gremlins (under Joe Dante's direction) before stepping behind the camera for this third outing.
Chris Columbus + Steven Spielberg
So Chris Columbus will direct this third instalment, with Steven Spielberg producing on top of that. Plenty to ramp up the excitement among audiences, who will be reunited with the Gremlins more than 40 years after their first run-out. For the screenplay, Warner Bros. has brought in Hannah Marks, who is working on the film from an initial draft written by Chris Columbus, Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. For now, no concrete details have been given about the story, and even less about the casting, but Warner Bros. has simply confirmed that Gizmo and the Gremlins will indeed be back.
While we're here, it's worth remembering that the first Gremlins remains one of the big fantasy hits of the 1980s, not least because it was made for around 11 million dollars and took 212 million dollars at the box office. Gremlins 2, released six years later, had a far bumpier ride with roughly 41 million dollars worldwide, though that didn't stop the film gradually earning cult status, largely thanks to its much more unhinged tone. Now we'll have to wait until October 2028 to see this Gremlins 3, landing more than 40 years after Gizmo's big-screen debut. Doesn't exactly make us feel young, does it?
