Everyone’s favorite sweet and soft tiny critters are on their way back, with Gremlins 3 officially in the works over at Warner Bros. While we don’t know if our pal Gizmo will be joining the fun, the movie took a major step forward, with the studio announcing its release window, which is now set for November 19, 2027. Seeing as how the original film, Joe Dante’s 1984 comedy-horror venture, Gremlins, was a holiday movie, the timing seems perfect and will undoubtedly draw the pre-holiday crowd. In even better news, Chris Columbus, who penned the screenplay for the flagship production, will sit in the director’s chair and will also produce, while Steven Spielberg will return as an executive producer.

Gremlins’ return to the big screen is a longtime coming for audiences who have been waiting for another feature-length project to stem from the franchise since the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, was released in 1990. The first installment solidified the fandom and was a massive box office earner, but, unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the sequel which is likely one of the major reasons why it’s taken so long for a third movie to get the greenlight. In the in-between time, audiences have returned to the universe courtesy of an animated HBO series. Over two seasons, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai and its follow-up, Gremlins: The Wild Batch, took audiences to 1920s Shanghai where Gizmo crosses paths with his first human and, eventually, leads into the storyline of the first film.

The Rules of ‘Gremlins’

Unlike movies like Scream and Friday the 13th, where big no-nos include using drugs and alcohol and saying things like “I’ll be right back,” the world of Gremlins has its own set of rules. The terms and conditions are easy enough: don’t expose the cute little critters to bright lights, don’t get them wet, and never, ever — under absolutely any circumstance — feed them after midnight. Despite the rules being incredibly straightforward, you better believe that the human caretakers botch their responsibilities time and time again, leading to dire situations during which the Gremlins turn from sweet and snuggly to monstrous and murderous. While we don’t yet know how the plot of Gremlins 3 will shake out, we’re pretty certain that someone will break the rules leading to an evil Gremlin takeover.

via Collider