The Gremlins will be back for a third film, actor Zach Galligan has confirmed.

The 51-year-old actor, who played Billy Peltzer in both movies in the franchise, revealed the next instalment will hark back to the original 1984 film as Jurassic World did with Jurassic Park.

According to Comicbook.com, Zach said at the film’s screening in London: “It’s not going to be a reboot. It will not be a remake in any way, shape, or form.”

Harry Potter and Home Alone filmmaker Chris Columbus – who wrote the first film and created the characters – will co-produce the remake with Steven Spielberg, who was an executive producer on both movies.

Chris Columbus wrote and created the characters in Gremlins
Chris Columbus wrote and created the characters in Gremlins (Evan Agostini/Invision)

Joe Dante directed the sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, which followed in 1990.

Zach continued: “Chris Columbus has come out and said that the first film is very near and dear to his heart and as long as he is alive it will never be remade. So the only thing they will be, and apparently are going to be doing, is something along the lines of like Jurassic World, where it will be 30 years later.

“All of the elements from the first, at least the first Gremlins movie – Chris Columbus didn’t really have much to do with the second Gremlins movie so I don’t know how he feels about that – but all of the things and events that happened in the first one will be referred to.

“And apparently some of the characters from the first one will reappear in the new one they are planning right now.”

Gizmo the mogwai
Gizmo the mogwai (Moviestore Collection/REX Shutterstock)

Gremlins featured cute critters known as mogwais, which turn into other creatures who transform into destructive and evil monsters.

Gizmo, the main mogwai character, became a loveable hit with fans around the world.

Zach Galligan
Zach Galligan (Evan Agostini/AP)

Zach, who has since appeared in movies such as horror comedy Waxwork, fantasy Prince Valiant and most recently slasher flick Hatchet 3, is hoping he will get to reprise his role in Gremlins 3.

“I swear on my life, I don’t know if I’m in it or not – but I think there is probably a decent chance since I’m one of the few people left standing from the first movie,” he said.

The new Gremlins film will be written by screenwriter Carl Ellsworth, who previously worked on the screenplays for the Goosebumps movie, Disturbia, and The Last House On The Left and Red Dawn remakes.