Gremlins 3 release date, cast, plot speculation, and everything else you need to know about the upcoming sequel

Good news, horror fans: Gremlins 3 is still very much on the way. After months of silence, Universal Pictures has finally shared the first look at Gizmo's return, which we'll get into further down. However, the bad news is that the threequel has been pushed back to 2028. But that just gives us more time to theorize what the legacy sequel might entail decades after the first two movies scared audiences silly.

The franchise centers around slimy little monsters that spawn from the cute and fluffy Gizmo whenever he's fed after midnight. But when you throw a modern setting in the mix, we can only imagine what the pesky little demons will get up to next. The new movie is in safe hands, with OG producer Steven Spielberg returning, as well as writer Chris Columbus, who will sit in the director's chair this time.

Below, we have gathered everything you need to know about the Gremlins 3 release date, confirmed cast members, plot speculation, and more. Afterward, check out our guides to the best '80s movies, and keep up with our list of all the other upcoming movies on their way.

Gremlins 3 release date

Gremlins 3 will hit theaters on October 6, 2028

The sequel has been pushed back almost a whole year from its original release date of November 19, 2027. The new date was revealed at the end of the film's first, yet very short, teaser video posted by Warner Bros. on Twitter.

Steven Spielberg is returning to executive produce, and Chris Columbus, who penned the first two movies, is set to direct and produce. Warner Bros. has yet to reveal when Gremlins 3 might start filming, but with the release date 2 years away, we expect cameras to start rolling by the end of 2027.

Gremlins 3 plot speculation

No official plot details have been released for Gremlins 3 yet. However, with 36 years to crack the code on the story, we are expecting big things. In an interview with GamesRadar+ in August 2025, Columbus said that although he had a "bunch of scripts" for the third movie, "there has to be a reason for doing it." Adding that the reason has to be more than just money. So, with that, it sounds as though Columbus and Spielberg may have finally found that something special they were looking for.

Thanks to earlier reports, we know that Gremlins 3 will act as a proper third installment, rather than a reboot. Gremlins 1984 follows Billy (Zach Galligan), who is gifted a pet named Gizmo for Christmas but is not allowed to expose him to sunlight, water, or food after midnight. When those rules are broken, Gizmo spawns furless, imp-like monsters who wreak havoc on the town.

Gremlins 2: The New Batch revisits Billy years later in New York, where he and his wife Kate soon find out that the gremlins have spawned once again and have taken over a new skyscraper in the city. The sequel ends with Billy, Kate, and Gizmo defeating the gremlins, but one female gremlin named Greta survives and forces the owner of the skyscraper to marry her.

So, what will Gremlins 3 entail? Well, in a public Q&A (H/T Entertainment.ie) Galligan said that Gremlins 3 will be "something along the lines of Jurassic World, where it will be 30 years later." Jurassic World revisits the land of the dinos decades later and shows how the creatures are living in the modern world and all that comes with it. Who knows, in Gremlins 3 we may find out just what the Gremlins are capable of when they get their hands on some major technology. We just know that the glamorous Gremlin Greta is going to be Instagram famous.

With so much time passed, the story could really go anywhere. Billy will surely be about 60 years old at this point and might have children or even grandchildren of his own. This means that the threequel could allow a new family member to take the lead and face the gremlins, with the OG characters taking a backseat.

As for Gizmo, we are not so sure how long gremlins live, but we hope nothing has happened to that little guy. The first teaser does give us our first look at a Mogwai, but whether that is Gizmo remains to be seen. As for the gremlins, movie prosthetics have come a long way since the '80s, so the slimy little beasts may undergo a bit of a makeover. But rest assured, in 2020, Columbus told Comic Book that they would not be using CGI for the gremlins but rather traditional puppets and animatronics.

Gremlins 3 cast speculation

As of now, no official casting announcements have been made. However, we think we know who could be returning. At the end of the second film, lead characters Billy Peltzer, played by Zach Galligan, and Kate Beringer, played by Phoebe Cates, manage to survive.

Galligan seems to be in the know about what's going on behind the scenes and has given updates on the movie's progress through the years. When Gremlins 3 was confirmed, Galligan shared the news on Twitter with the eyes emoji, suggesting he may be involved after all.

As for the wider cast, the trilogy could really go anywhere. We expect many actors to want to be a part of such an iconic franchise. In March 2025, Wednesday star Jenna Ortega said she'd love to be part of the Gremlins franchise, telling IMDb, "Would love… Gremlins 3? 4? Call me."

Is there a Gremlins 3 trailer yet?

Despite the movie being two years away from release, Warner Bros. has released the first teaser. The 10-second-long clip, which you can watch above, opens with a backpack shuffling around. We then see a cooing Mogwai slowly emerge from inside, cooing away before he mutters his signature phrase, "uh oh." Then, an evil giggle follows, which can only mean one thing: the Gremlins are back.

We may not see the first official trailer for some time, as it doesn't look like Gremlins 3 has started filming yet. However, as the sequel is set to hit screens in October 2028, we expect to see the first teaser sometime around mid-2028.

In the meantime, you can watch the original Gremlins movie on HBO Max in the US, and if you are in the UK, you can head over to HBO Max or NOW.

For more, check out our list of the best horror movies and keep up with the biggest movie release dates.