Gremlins 3 is happening, and fans are all asking the same question

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A third Gremlins movie is officially happening, and many of the people who worked on the first two films are coming back. However, fans are disappointed that one key person isn’t involved.

The movie Gremlins was a huge success when it came out at Christmas in 1984, earning over $200 million around the world with its story of mischievous monsters causing trouble in a small town.

A follow-up movie, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, traded scary moments for slapstick comedy, but it wasn’t well-received and effectively ended the series.

Fans are loving the recent resurgence of the Gremlins franchise, thanks to New Batch and a popular animated series. Now, after years of waiting, the announcement everyone wanted is finally here: Gremlins 3 is officially in the works!

Gremlins fans are all asking “where’s Joe Dante?”

Warner Bros. is bringing the franchise back, and Steven Spielberg will return as an executive producer through his company, Amblin Entertainment.

Chris Columbus, the director and writer of the first movie, is returning to write and direct the sequel, scheduled for release on November 19, 2027.

Notably absent from the creative team is Joe Dante, the director of both Gremlins movies, and fans are curious about the reason.

People are expressing confusion and asking about the director Joe Dante on Twitter, with some users directly questioning his whereabouts or current projects.

Honestly, I’m feeling pretty mixed about this news. It could be amazing, and I’m hoping it is, but I’m a little disappointed to hear nothing about Joe Dante being involved. I was really hoping he’d be part of it.

Someone else responded, suggesting the director wasn’t interested in a Gremlins sequel, especially after a long break from filmmaking and working with studios. They hoped he might be involved as a producer or consultant, similar to his role in the TV series, but also acknowledged that it might be better if he wasn’t directly involved.

Look, as a gamer who grew up with the originals, it really bugs me when people are excited for a Gremlins 3 that doesn’t have Joe Dante directing. Honestly, if you’re just happy to see a nostalgic title get rebooted, you’re part of the problem! Studios see that kind of excitement and just keep churning out these rose-tinted ’80s remakes, and it’s frustrating. We need to show them we want quality and the original vision, not just a name.

When asked about a possible third Gremlins movie, Dante previously told The Hollywood Reporter in October 2025 that it really depends on whether people want it. He believes the Gremlins franchise is popular enough that someone will likely make another film eventually.

Fans really don’t want CGI Gremlins

A third ‘Gremlins’ movie is officially in the works at Warner Bros. It’s currently scheduled to release on November 19, 2027, and will bring back both Steven Spielberg as an executive producer and Chris Columbus as a writer.

— ScreenTime (@screentime) November 6, 2025

Honestly, one thing I’m really hoping for with the new Gremlins movie is how they handle bringing the creatures to life. A lot of us fans are crossing our fingers they ditch the CGI and go back to using practical puppets like they did in the original two films. It just looked so much better back then, you know?

Fans are excited about the new movie, but many are strongly hoping the filmmakers use practical effects like puppets instead of computer-generated imagery (CGI). Several people expressed concern that relying on CGI could spoil the film.

On Reddit, fans are echoing the same hope: they want the new film to rely on practical effects, like puppets and physical sets, rather than heavy computer-generated imagery. One user specifically mentioned that the original ‘Gremlins’ succeeded because it didn’t depend on CGI, and others agree that keeping CGI to a minimum is crucial.

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2025-11-06 17:50