Warner Bros. has pushed Gremlins 3 back by nearly a year, moving the long-gestating sequel from Nov. 19, 2027, to Oct. 6, 2028.
The studio announced the change Wednesday with an 11-second teaser showing a Mogwai, captioned “10.6.28. Only In Theaters.” It gave no reason for the delay and has yet to reveal a title, cast or plot.
Chris Columbus, who wrote the 1984 original, is directing. Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer alongside Eleanor Columbus. Hannah Marks is writing the script from a draft by Columbus, Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein. Amblin’s Kristie Macosko Krieger and Holly Bario are producing with Michael Barnathan and Mark Radcliffe of 26th Street Pictures.
One report says production has not begun and that cameras were recently pushed to early 2027, which would explain the gap. The studio has not confirmed that. The change comes as Warner Bros. Discovery merges with Paramount, but Collider reports the deal did not drive the decision and that Paramount had no conflicts with either date. The DC animated film Dynamic Duo also shifted, from June 20 to Sept. 22, 2028.
The new slot has precedent. Warner Bros. opened Joker in early October, and it grossed $1.078 billion worldwide. An October date also places the film near Halloween, a fit for a franchise that mixes horror and comedy.
The wait for fans stretches to 38 years since Gremlins 2: The New Batch reached theaters in 1990. David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief executive, first disclosed the project on an investor call in 2025. When the studio announced it, Warner Bros. Pictures development and production president Jesse Ehrman said few titles are as “beloved and iconic” as Gremlins and pointed to a 2027 release. That target no longer holds.
Joe Dante directed the 1984 original, a horror comedy about a boy named Billy and a furry Mogwai that comes with strict feeding rules. Parental and critical reaction to its darker scenes helped lead to the creation of the PG-13 rating.
