Warner Bros. has released the first teaser for Gremlins 3, but fans will have to wait nearly another year to see Gizmo return to theaters.
The studio announced that the long-awaited film has moved from November 19, 2027, to October 6, 2028. Warner Bros. did not explain the delay. However, the change comes as the studio prepares to finalize its merger with Paramount, which will require the combined company to release at least 30 films annually.
The extremely brief teaser shows Gizmo emerging from a familiar green backpack before the new release date appears onscreen. In a fitting response to the delay, the beloved Mogwai can be heard saying, “Uh-oh.”
Although the clip reveals nothing about the story, it provides the first official look at Gizmo in the new film.
“10.6.28. Only In Theaters,” Warner Bros. wrote while sharing the teaser on social media.
10.6.28. Only In Theaters. pic.twitter.com/kZVLPrNd12
— Warner Bros. (@warnerbros) September 23, 2026
Gremlins 3 Moves From Christmas to Halloween
An October release moves the franchise away from the holiday season and closer to Halloween. Although the original Gremlins famously blended Christmas imagery with horror, comedy, and creature mayhem, it opened on June 8, 1984. Its more comedic 1990 sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, also arrived in June.
A Scene from Gremins – YouTube, Warner Bros. Entertainment
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Opening four weeks before Halloween gives Warner Bros. an opportunity to market the mischievous creatures as seasonal horror attractions. It also moves the sequel away from the crowded Thanksgiving corridor it would have entered under its previous date.
While the delay may disappoint fans, the teaser suggests that the filmmakers are preserving the practical aesthetic that helped define the first two movies. Gizmo appears to be a physical puppet rather than an entirely computer-generated creation.
Chris Columbus Is Returning to Direct
Original Gremlins screenwriter Chris Columbus is directing the new installment and producing through his 26th Street Pictures banner.
Columbus co-wrote the screenplay with Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, the directing team behind Final Destination Bloodlines. Their script is based on an earlier draft by Toby Halbrooks and Carl Ellsworth.
A screenshot from Gremlins – Warner Bros. Entertainment
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Steven Spielberg, who executive produced the first two films, is returning in the same capacity through Amblin Entertainment. Kristie Macosko Krieger, Holly Bario, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe are producing.
Joe Dante, who directed both Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch, is not currently involved.
The movie will be the franchise’s first theatrical installment since Gremlins 2. By the time it opens, 44 years will have passed since audiences first met Gizmo in the 1984 original.
Columbus previously confirmed that he was developing another Gremlins movie, although its precise relationship to the earlier films remained unclear at the time.
Warner Bros. is now officially calling the project Gremlins 3, indicating that the studio views it as a continuation rather than a straightforward remake. However, plot and casting details remain under wraps.
Fans Welcome Gizmo’s Practical Return
After waiting nearly four decades for another Gremlins film, most fans do not seem too upset about waiting a little longer.
A screenshot from Gremlins – Warner Bros. Entertainment
Many of the online reactions praised the apparent use of practical effects. Others enthusiastically marked their calendars for opening night. Numerous comments simply celebrated the franchise’s lore, repeating the familiar warnings about getting a Mogwai wet or feeding one after midnight.
Plans for a third movie have circulated for years. Columbus said in 2017 that he had completed a darker screenplay, while later discussions raised questions about whether the project would become a sequel, reboot, or combination of both.
Whatever form the story ultimately takes, Gremlins 3 appears well positioned to capitalize on Hollywood’s nostalgia boom. Fans have waited decades to see Gizmo again, so another year probably will not scare them away.
How do you feel about waiting almost another year for Gremlins 3? Sound off and let us know!
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