Hold onto your popcorn and keep the mogwai out of the sunlight! “Gremlins 3” might finally be creeping closer to reality. After decades of speculation, rumors, and dashed fan hopes, a script for the long-awaited sequel has reportedly made its way to Steven Spielberg‘s desk, waiting for his legendary greenlight.
This juicy update dropped courtesy of Zach Galligan, the original star of “Gremlins” (1984) and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch” (1990), during a panel at Comic-Con Manchester last week. In a TikTok clip that instantly lit up horror and nostalgia-loving corners of the internet, Galligan teased: “After 35 years, they’ve come up with a script. Warner Bros. is incredibly interested in doing it — apparently it’s waiting on Mr. Spielberg to read it and approve it.”
After over three decades of holiday chaos, microwave explosions, and gremlin-infested nightmares, this might actually happen.
A New Wave of Nostalgia Is Powering the Return
Galligan hinted that last year’s surprise success of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” got Warner Bros. thinking. Clearly, there’s a serious appetite for reboots and sequels done right, and “Gremlins” fits the same mold.
Throw in Spielberg’s involvement — even if just as a gatekeeper — and the stakes feel real this time.
Who’s Behind the Script?
That’s the part still cloaked in shadows. Warner Bros. hasn’t named a writer, but according to Vanity Fair, there’s buzz around Chris Columbus, who penned the original film. In an interview, Columbus didn’t confirm involvement, but dropped this very intriguing quote:
“That stuff is in my DNA… We had a lot of things that didn’t make the final script.”
© Getty ImagesInteresting considering he didn’t write “Gremlins 2,” a more satirical, meta take scripted by Charles S. Haas, this could be a return to the darker, mischievous tone of the first movie. The original Gremlins balanced horror and humor like few films have, and fans have been craving a return to that vibe ever since.
If Columbus is contributing ideas (or rewriting an earlier draft), this third film could thread that delicate needle between classic 1980s chaos and modern storytelling expectations.
© Getty ImagesThe Legacy That Won’t Quit
“Gremlins” isn’t just another ’80s movie; it’s a genre-defining cult hit that helped shape PG-13 cinema. The first film, directed by Joe Dante, blended small-town Christmas cheer with unsettling practical effects, razor-toothed humor, and some surprisingly emotional beats.
It was followed by the zany, fourth-wall-breaking “Gremlins 2: The New Batch,” which still stands as one of the most daring sequels in Hollywood history. But fans have long wondered: what happens next?
© Getty ImagesLast year, Warner Bros. and Amblin Television finally dipped their toe back in the water with “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,” an animated prequel that debuted on HBO Max. The show earned solid reviews, but it also rekindled a much bigger question of where “Gremlins 3” is.
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