Chris Columbus gives update on Gremlins 3: ‘Sequel has to be perfect’

Since the release of the original festive creature feature and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, several cast members have sadly passed away — including Dick Miller, who played fan-favourite neighbour Murray Futterman, and Hoyt Axton, who played Billy’s dad Randall. Meanwhile, Phoebe Cates, who played Billy’s girlfriend Kate, has retired from acting. She stepped away from the screen in 1994 to focus on raising her children, though she briefly returned in 2001’s The Anniversary Party as a favour to her friend, actress and filmmaker Jennifer Jason Leigh.