Get ready for some more mischievous mayhem! In a recent, wide-ranging conversation with Deadline, Warner Bros. CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy dropped some exciting news for fans. Among the revelations was the confirmation that a brand-new installment in the Gremlins franchise is officially in the works!
This exciting announcement backs up a report from January, when whispers suggested that a new Gremlins movie, with Chris Columbus involved, was being eyed as a potential “franchise hope” at Warner Bros. Now, those hopes are turning into a reality.
Pam Abdy herself confirmed the news in the Deadline interview, stating enthusiastically, “We’re super excited about Amblin developing new entries in the ‘Gremlins’ and ‘Goonies’ franchises with Chris Columbus.” For longtime fans, Chris Columbus’s involvement is particularly thrilling. He was, after all, the brilliant mind who penned the screenplay for the original Steven Spielberg-produced’ Gremlins,’ the movie that started it all.
Talk of a potential Gremlins 3 has been a rollercoaster ride for fans. Rumors and possibilities surfaced and faded multiple times. However, the most concrete news before this confirmation came in 2017. That’s when Chris Columbus revealed that he had penned a new script. At the time, Columbus described his take on the “Gremlins” world as being both “twisted” and “dark,” hinting at a slightly edgier tone.
“I’m really proud of the script,” Columbus said back in 2017. “It is as twisted and dark as anything, so we’ll see. It’s always a budgetary conversation when we’re going to shoot it. I wanted to go back to the really twisted sensibility of the first movie. I found that was a very easy place for me to fall back into and start writing again so hopefully we’ll see that movie soon.”
While specific details about the plot, cast, and release date of this new Gremlins movie are still under wraps, the confirmation that it’s moving forward with Chris Columbus’s involvement is undoubtedly exciting news for fans who have been waiting decades for a true third installment.
In the meantime, if you need your Gremlins fix, don’t forget about the animated prequel series “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,” currently streaming on Max. This series offers a fun and adventurous look into the early lives of Mr. Wing and the mischievous Gizmo.
But that’s not all the exciting franchise news from Warner Bros.! In the same chat with Deadline, Mike De Luca also strongly hinted at a sequel to last year’s highly anticipated Tim Burton-directed return to the afterlife, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
When directly asked if WB was “already developing” sequels to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, De Luca’s response was short, sweet, and incredibly promising: “Imminently. The ink might not be dry on the deals yet, but imminently.”
So, we might say “Beetlejuice” (maybe even three times?) again soon! Stay tuned for more updates on both the new Gremlins movie and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice or whatever they decide to call it). We’ll keep you posted.
