Gremlins 3 has still not happened, but if it ever does, it seems likely that Gizmo will die. Gizmo has been the mascot of the Gremlins franchise since the very beginning, with the adorable creature at the center of every Gremlins story so far. While it may seem odd for the potential legacy sequel to kill off the series' marketable mogwai, it looks as if Gremlins 3 is gearing up to end his story in exactly that fashion.
Joe Dante's 1984 horror classic Gremlins was a massive hit upon release, spawning sequels, a TV show, merchandise, and multiple copycats. The success of Gremlins is in no small part due to Gizmo, the mogwai that was plastered all over the film's marketing. Gizmo returned in 1990 for Gremlins 2: The New Batch, with the character's cuteness cranked up for the satirical sequel. Despite the franchise's continued popularity, Gremlins 3 has never been made. However, some hints regarding a potential third film show that Gizmo's story may go down a much darker path if it happens.
The Original Gremlins 3 Story Featured Humans Wanting To Eliminate Gizmo
Although the film has not happened yet, Gremlins 3 has been in various stages of development for a long time, with an earlier draft seemingly featuring humans that wanted to eliminate Gizmo. Chris Columbus, who wrote Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch, touched on his continued writing for Gremlins 3 in a 2017 interview with /Film. There, Columbus said he was working on a film that would answer the question "If all the gremlins come from getting Gizmo wet and feeding his mogwai offspring after midnight, should Gizmo be eliminated?"
Columbus' question is one viewers have been asking for decades, and it seems that his vision for Gremlins 3 will finally address it. This synopsis hints that the third film would feature a band of humans that want to kill Gizmo, therefore preventing any future gremlin hordes arising. After all, the gremlins came from Gizmo in both films, so the idea does make morbid sense. Centering Gremlins 3 around a group of humans that want to kill Gizmo is a brave choice for a legacy sequel, but one that would be incredibly interesting to see.
Gremlins 3 Will Probably Be More In Line With The Original Movie
This premise may sound dark, but dark was exactly what Chris Columbus was going for. Columbus has described his Gremlins 3 script as "twisted and dark," bringing it back to the franchise's roots. The original Gremlins was already a relatively dark story, but the original plan went even further down this path. From the looks of it, Gremlins 3 would be more in line with this original tone, and possibly even more gruesome than its predecessors.
This also means that Gremlins 3 will probably be separating itself from the tone of Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Gremlins 2 is a lighthearted, surrealist satire, and a huge departure from the original film. While it does have a cult following, the sequel is nowhere near as popular as the original movie. Because of this, it makes sense for Gremlins 3 to attempt to mimic the feel of the original Gremlins with a dose of darkness.
Sources: /Film