Zach Galligan Still Thinks Gremlins 3 Can Happen
I say without irony that Gremlins 2 is my favorite movie. Other movies may be plotted better, there may be movies with better writers and actors, I fully acknowledge all this. But with Gremlins 2, I had more FUN watching it than I’ve had with any other picture. It was just constantly surprising me with where it would go next, and I think it explored the concept of gremlins better than its predecessor. I had a blast watching it for the first time, and I still do.
Unfortunately Chris Columbus, the director of the first movie, doesn’t feel the same way. He left Joe Dante to his own devices when planning out the second picture, resulting in a live-action cartoon and a parody of sequels (which was great!) Actor Zack Galligan, who played Billy Peltzer in both movies, told Bleeding Cool recently that Gremlins 3 is still being experimented with this many years later.
I don’t think he cared for Gremlins 2 and the direction some of the characters went in, so he’s kind of wrested control back. Everything I’m quoting is stuff he’s publicly said…
’There will NEVER be a remake, there will NEVER be a reboot, there will only be a SEQUEL.’
He has been aggressively working on a Gremlins 3 that takes place in present day.
Of course, since the second movie came out in 1990, we’re talking a time difference of 27 years. That’s an awfully long time between films, isn’t it? Galligan says Columbus is taking that into account and using The Force Awakens as inspiration, crafting a script mixed with old and new characters.
Carl Ellsworth has been apparently working on the script for a year and a half now. If no new names start appearing on the IMDB listing then that means they like the script. If new names start appearing, y’know Kevin Smith appears, it means it’s back in rewrites with a new vision. Warner Bros definitely wants it, Chris Columbus wants to do it because he’d like to undo the Gremlins 2 thing as he wasn’t thrilled with it and Spielberg wants to do it I imagine – because he’s Spielberg – and why wouldn’t he want to do it. Once he’s found the right script he can attach his name and make a ton of money. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
“Undo the Gremlins 2 thing” gives me chills. If my favorite movie ever is retconned into a dream, there will be hell to pay. Or at the least, Hulk Hogan will be paying a visit to Galligan’s house!