Gremlins, released in 1984, is regarded as one of the darkest Christmas movies ever made. Recently, screenwriter Chris Columbus reflected on the film, revealing that it could have been even darker than what audiences experienced. He emphasized that the final cut was considered “pretty dark,” but he was unsure about certain plot elements, such as whether Gizmo would transform into a gremlin.
Columbus recalled macabre moments that were originally scripted, including a scene where Billy’s mother was killed, and details of a grim fate for the family dog. Additionally, he mentioned an unsettling sequence involving gremlins entering a McDonald’s to consume people instead of food. Many of these darker elements were omitted to suit the film’s broader appeal.
As he looks back, Columbus acknowledged that, early in his career, he was hesitant to push for more violence against producer Steven Spielberg’s vision for the film. He did, however, credit Spielberg for the idea of keeping Gizmo as a comforting presence throughout the movie, which became crucial for audience connection. The storyline also incorporated some dark humor, notably the subplot of Phoebe Cates’ father’s tragic demise in a chimney, which Columbus fought to retain even though the studio favored cuts.
In recent years, the Gremlins franchise has continued with Gremlins 2: The New Batch and a new animated series spinoff titled The Wild Batch, which premiered in October.