As exciting as I was initially about the news that Gremlins and The Goonies were getting sequels, the lack of meaningful updates beyond the respective casts expressing excitement has lessened my enthusiasm. Was it too soon to get excited, and will all that talk ultimately amount to neither project happening? Fortunately, we have a promising update from the original Gremlins writer, Chris Columbus.
Columbus spoke to GamesRadar about the progress of Gremlins, and indeed, progress is being made. The gist of his statement is that it's a marathon and not a sprint, as he noted, there are a lot of scripts and things being considered for the third movie at this time:
There's a bunch of scripts for Gremlins. I mean, nothing has been approved. We're working on something, but we're always [working on something]. Gremlins is a never-ending writing assignment.
People have waited to see a new Gremlins movie since 1990, so the pressure is on. Many ideas are being pitched, and likely, many are being rejected. Chris Columbus wrote the original movie, but had no role in Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Now, he's tasked with writing a follow-up that includes elements from both, which can't be an easy thing to do.
The pressure gets even greater when thinking about how some consider Gremlins to be one of the best Christmas movies of all time. Columbus seemingly wants to get it right, and was frank in stating that he and fellow executive producer Steven Spielberg are willing to take the time and ensure they have the right idea before proceeding:
Honestly, we've been toying around with Gremlins and Goonies ideas for 30-plus years. We just haven't cracked it yet. And Steven and I don't want to do a film that's not great. There has to be a reason for doing it. It has to be more than just, 'Okay, we'll do great at the box office with the title.' It has to be something that the fans are proud of, something that we're proud of that also all of the fans can say, 'Okay, they did a great job on this film.' So, we're very, very specific about making sure it's great.
It's not about the money when it comes to Gremlins 3, because Columbus and Spielberg presumably have plenty to brag about on both fronts. Both are invested in making the best follow-up possible to the beloved movie, which did have a brief run in animation as well.
As eager as I am to see a follow-up to Gremlins, I can certainly respect that the parties responsible for making it happen want to make sure they do it right. Of course, in a perfect world, I would hope that the right idea comes along soon, so the script can be finished and production can get underway. I'd like to see some of these iconic '80s actors be included in the follow-up if they're still around to appear.
The same applies to Goonies 2, which Sean Astin seems thrilled to return for if he gets the chance. With all respect to the creative process and ensuring the right script makes its way out of the writers' room and on to the stage, I don't think anyone expects either movie to be in contention for an Oscar. Provided it's made with love and loaded with nostalgia, I'm sure the audience who has waited so long to see it and Gremlins 3 will be thrilled with what comes out.
In the meantime, we can all watch Gremlins 2: The New Batch with a Max subscription while waiting on the follow-up. It's certainly a lot different from the original, but a joy to watch, provided you go in with the right expectations.
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