If you’ve been holding out hope that the long-discussed Gremlins 3 project was finally gaining traction, Chris Columbus, the original Gremlins screenwriter, has an update that might cool expectations.
While promoting his latest film, The Thursday Murder Club, Columbus told GamesRadar+ that the project is far from ready. Despite rumors suggesting the newest script just needs the greenlight from producer Steven Spielberg, Columbus set the record straight.
“There’s a bunch of scripts for Gremlins. I mean, nothing has been approved. We’re working on something, but we’re always [working on something]. Gremlins is a never-ending writing assignment.”
The original Gremlins kicked off a successful collaboration between Columbus and Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment back in the 80s, followed by projects like The Goonies and Young Sherlock Holmes. But while The New Batch came out in 1990, Columbus didn’t return for that sequel.
“Back in the early 80s, when we had finished Gremlins, there was the opportunity to do Gremlins 2, but I was of a mind that once I’ve said it, I’ve said it, there’s no reason to do a sequel.
“So Steven and I could have worked on Gremlins 2, but I said, ‘No, I’ve done that. I’m going to move on.’ And I moved on to Goonies and Young Sherlock Holmes. So we still worked together.”
Since then, Columbus hasn’t been entirely sequel-shy. He went on to direct Home Alone 2, and later launched the Harry Potter film franchise with The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. But follow-ups to Gremlins and The Goonies have continued to elude him.
“Honestly, we’ve been toying around with Gremlins and Goonies ideas for 30-plus years. We just haven’t cracked it yet. And Steven and I don’t want to do a film that’s not great.
“There has to be a reason for doing it. It has to be more than just, ‘Okay, we’ll do great at the box office with the title.’
“It has to be something that the fans are proud of, something that we’re proud of that also all of the fans can say, ‘Okay, they did a great job on this film.’ So, we’re very, very specific about making sure it’s great.”
Meanwhile, Columbus and Spielberg are collaborating again on The Thursday Murder Club, their first joint project since The Help in 2011. The film is an adaptation of Richard Osman’s hit mystery novel and follows a group of sharp-witted seniors solving a murder in their quiet retirement village.
The cast for the film includes Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie.
So while Gremlins 3 might still be trapped in development hell, it’s clear that if and when it does happen, it’ll only be because Columbus and Spielberg believe it’s the right time with the right story.
Until then, keep your Mogwai far away from midnight snacks.
