‘Gremlins 3’ Gets Pushed Back to 2028

After more than three decades of waiting, Gremlins fans finally got official confirmation last year that Gremlins 3 was moving forward. Now, however, the long-awaited sequel is going to take even longer to arrive.

The third installment was originally scheduled to hit theaters on November 19, 2027, but according to Deadline, Warner Bros. has pushed the release back nearly a full year to October 6, 2028.

No official reason for the delay has been announced. Warner Bros. has also released a teaser confirming the new release date.

The road to Gremlins 3 has been a long one. Interest in returning to the franchise grew significantly following the launch of the animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai in 2023. The two-season series expanded the mythology of the franchise and introduced a new generation of fans to the world of Gizmo and the Mogwai.

The upcoming movie has a script from Carl Ellsworth, Zach Lipovsky, and Adam B. Stein, with Steven Spielberg returning as a producer. Perhaps the biggest surprise is behind the camera, with Chris Columbus set to direct.

Columbus wrote the original Gremlins, which was directed by Joe Dante. Dante also returned for 1990’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch. While Columbus taking over as director gives the third movie a connection to the original film, fans may still be hoping to see Dante return to the franchise in some capacity.

The original Gremlins introduced audiences to Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) and Gizmo (Howie Mandel), the adorable Mogwai whose presence comes with some very specific rules. Keep him away from water, and never feed him after midnight.

Naturally, those rules don’t last long. After Gizmo accidentally spawns more Mogwai, the creatures eventually transform into the mischievous and dangerous Gremlins that terrorize Billy’s hometown.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch took the chaos to a New York City skyscraper, where Gizmo is captured and subjected to experiments before Billy once again attempts to save him.

At this point, there’s still no word on whether Galligan, Mandel, or Phoebe Cates will return for Gremlins 3. Galligan did reunite with Gizmo on screen in 2021 for a Mountain Dew commercial, but his involvement in the upcoming sequel has yet to be confirmed.

For now, Gremlins 3 is set to arrive in theaters on October 6, 2028.

10.6.28. Only In Theaters. https://t.co/kZVLPrNd12

— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) September 23, 2026