Details on the Unproduced GREMLINS 3 Script That Was Written by Carl Ellsworth

A few years ago director and producer Chris Columbus said that he was aggressively working on making Gremlins 3 happen. There hasn’t been any update on this project for years, so I assumed that it was dead.

While nothing is currently happening with the project, screenwriter Carl Ellsworth (Red Eye, The Last House on the Left, Disturbia, Unhinged) has offered up some details on what the script and what the film would have entailed.

“The last time I touched it is now going on three years ago. I was so excited to do it. I got the chance to work with Chris, and I loved the story we came up with. I’m so bummed that it hasn’t seen the light of day yet. What might have been, what could have been!”

He went on to reveal that the movie was “thought of as a direct sequel mostly to the first film—not discounting the second one by any stretch, but I saw it as very much a passing-the-baton story, staying in the tone of the original. I think that helped get me the job: I said, ‘Yeah, there’s a lot of humor in the movie, helped by the classic Jerry Goldsmith score that gives us a license to laugh, but it’s first and foremost a horror movie.’ ”

For those of you who don’t know, the original Gremlins film was imagined a straight-up horror film filled with R-rated insanity. It ended up being toned down under the supervision of producer Steven Spielberg. Ellsworth went on to say:

“These little creatures—what they’re really doing, they’re cold-blooded little murderers, you know? They’re psychotic little creatures that are killing everybody. So that’s where it all started. I tried to preserve the humor, but at the same time, I was starting with the
foundation of this being a horror movie, which I was really thrilled about.”

When previously talking about the script, Columbus said that it was “twisted and dark.” I would love to see this movie get made, and it would have not only seen the return of the original star Zach Galligan as Billy Peltzer, it would have also brought back his girlfriend played by Phoebe Cates. But, it’s explained that “Gizmo was at the very core of the story; it explored more of the mythology and the history of the Gremlins.”

So, why hasn’t anything happened with the film in the past few years? The screenwriter explains:

“It’s one of those situations where it fell through the cracks, or they couldn’t put it together—who knows what happened? You know, some things see the light of day and some things get shelved. I have no idea what they’re doing with it nowadays, but I hope, as everybody does, that something happens, whether it’s with my script or somebody else’s. I wish they could have done something with it for the [first movie’s] 35th anniversary last year.”

There’s still a chance that Gremlins 3 could happen, but as of right now, it doesn’t seem like it’s a priority for anyone. It used to be, though! A few years ago, Gremlins star Zack Galligan offered an update on the film saying:

"I think you can tell what’s happening with Gremlins 3 the same way you could tell with Gremlins 2. It’s the same people and they tend to work the same way. There is a huge time gap but it’s Warner Bros, Spielberg and Chris Columbus. Now, Chris Columbus didn’t have anything to do with Gremlins 2 – because by his own admission he didn’t see a franchise. He kind of regrets it I believe, but he was ‘one and done’ 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 rebootm there will only be a SEQUEL.

"He has been aggressively working on a Gremlins 3 that takes place in present day. He tantalisingly says there will be some new characters and some old characters – I guess in the style of a Force Awakens type sequel – One thing we know for sure is they have a writer on board. The only insight I can give is the following: There was a 6 year gap between Gremlins and Gremlins 2 most of that time was spent with them writing and rejecting ideas and re-writing. One of the ideas that was rejected was ‘gremlins in Vegas’ they went with that for 18 months and felt it was too expensive. Eventually they came up with the tower idea, where essentially I’m working for Donald Trump our new President! That took six years to happen. 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."

I hope the studio and the creative team haven’t given up on this sequel. A lot of fans would love to see it happen! But, there is an animated prequel series coming to HBO Max titled Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai that we have to look forward to!

Source: ComingSoon