Industry insiders are buzzing this week with reports that Jenna Ortega, the actress best known for her role as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s hit series “Wednesday,” has been offered the female lead in Warner Bros.’ long-awaited “Gremlins 3.” The report originated from prominent entertainment scooper DanielRPK, who indicated that Ortega has received an offer and is currently in talks. It should be noted, however, that at least one separate and reportedly reliable industry source has since pushed back on the claim, dismissing it as inaccurate. Until Warner Bros. issues an official statement, this story remains firmly in the realm of rumor.
If the casting does ultimately come to pass, it would represent a fitting convergence of talent and franchise ambition. Back in March 2025, while on the SXSW red carpet to promote “Death of a Unicorn,” Ortega made no secret of her childhood affection for the property, telling reporters she had always loved the franchise and extending an open invitation to any producer willing to call. “Gremlins 3? 4? I don’t know. Call me!” Few could have predicted that the opportunity might materialize quite so quickly.
Warner Bros. officially announced “Gremlins 3” last November and has since locked in a theatrical release date of November 19, 2027. Production is expected to begin in late summer, with casting reportedly well underway. Returning franchise architect Chris Columbus, who wrote the original 1984 film, is on board to direct and produce. Columbus is co-writing the new screenplay alongside Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the duo behind “Final Destination: Bloodlines.” Steven Spielberg, whose Amblin Entertainment produced the original, is back as executive producer. Additional producers include Kristie Macosko Krieger, Holly Bario, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe.
Speculation among fans has centered on the possibility that Ortega could play a new character connected to the original film’s central couple, potentially the daughter of Billy Peltzer and Kate, played in the classic films by Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates. No official plot details have been confirmed, and no other actors are currently attached to the project.
Columbus has been vocal about one key creative commitment: the Gremlins themselves will not be computer-generated. In keeping with the spirit of Joe Dante’s beloved 1984 original, which earned $165 million worldwide on a reported budget of just $11 million, the creatures will return to the practical puppetry that made them cultural icons in the first place. That commitment alone has generated considerable goodwill among longtime fans who grew up watching Gizmo and his chaotic offspring descend on a quiet American town every Christmas Eve.
The reports arrive at a moment when Ortega’s career is accelerating at a remarkable pace. The actress, who turned 23 last September, has become one of Hollywood’s most in-demand young performers. She is set to appear in J.J. Abrams’ fantasy horror film “The Great Beyond,” which is slated to open in theaters in November of this year alongside Glen Powell and Emma Mackey. She also has Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s celebrated novel “Klara and the Sun” in the pipeline, in which she plays a solar-powered artificial intelligence companion. Earlier this year, she received praise for her work in “The Gallerist,” a dark comedy from director Cathy Yan that stars Natalie Portman and premiered at Sundance. On the small screen, Ortega is returning as Wednesday Addams for a third season of “Wednesday,” with production having kicked off in February.
The commercial logic behind attaching Ortega to “Gremlins 3” is difficult to argue with. The actress was front and center in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Tim Burton’s 2024 sequel to his 1988 original, which proved that legacy franchise revivals can still command enormous audiences at the box office. That film’s financial performance appears to have strengthened Warner Bros.’ confidence in nostalgia-driven properties. The studio is also pressing forward with a sequel to “Practical Magic,” which is currently scheduled for a September release.
For “Gremlins 3,” Columbus brings with him a track record of beloved populist films, including “Home Alone,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” and “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Following the film’s greenlight announcement, he said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter that he was filled with inspiration and passion at the prospect of the project. Warner Bros.’ president of development and production, Jesse Ehrman, described “Gremlins” as one of cinema’s most beloved and iconic titles and expressed excitement about bringing it back for both longtime fans and an entirely new generation of moviegoers.
Whether Ortega ultimately signs on remains an open question. The conflicting reports suggest that any negotiations, if they are happening at all, are in very early stages. What is not in question is that “Gremlins 3” is moving forward with serious creative firepower behind it, a studio fully committed to a November 2027 theatrical release, and a generation of fans who have been waiting more than three decades for Gizmo to return to the big screen.
