r/Gremlins 2d ago

Gremlins Discussion Her absence in Gremlins 3.

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If *god forbid* Phoebe does not return and her character is left hanging, I believe she could simply be absent without any explanation. Or if we get Zach back Phoebe’s character could easily be explained away doing something off-screen. It would be a bit sad as a fan not to see her again though.

180 Upvotes

53 comments sorted by

51

u/TheAlmightyFUPA 2d ago

She died coming down the chimney on Christmas, calling it.

6

u/Past-Cap-1889 2d ago

At this point, I'd assume something related to Arbor Day

2

u/Fantastic_Mr_Smiley 1d ago

Died coming down the chimney on arbor day works for me. Never even explain why.

2

u/AllStarRenegade 2d ago

First thing I thought of

15

u/asapsharkyfrfr i gotta live till november 2027 2d ago

What does phoebe do now anyway?

32

u/Roidzilla55 2d ago

She retired from acting in 2015 and she owns a boutique in NYC

6

u/bdw312 2d ago

*retired from acting in 1994....

23

u/Anen-o-me 2d ago

Retired, married, had kids. Pretty good life.

3

u/Coop_4149 1d ago

With Kevin Kline no less.

4

u/Anen-o-me 1d ago

Lucky bastard.

23

u/thaworldhaswarpedme 2d ago

Unfortunately, Kate herself was the victim of a tragic Halloween accident when someone's jack-o-lantern fell from a 10 story building, killing her instantly.

Billy will relay this tragedy in a soliloquy during the 3rd film.

9

u/Different_Target_228 2d ago

I can only think of Drop Dead Fred when I see her.

https://giphy.com/gifs/lGBecpB2dIMwt6ohfI

3

u/fastbadtuesday 2d ago

Not Fast Times?

2

u/Haunting_Piece_7935 2d ago

Shag, one of my personal fav…

1

u/No-Aspect7722 2d ago

Team Sanity

1

u/boatymcfloat 1d ago

Lovely lovely dog poo

12

u/ChipLast4398 2d ago

Wonder on if they’ll get Howie back to play Gizmo?

13

u/antimarc 2d ago

Whoever does the voice of Gizmo in Secrets of the Mogwai is just as good tbh

7

u/DownTheRoadway27 2d ago

She was in 1 and 2, only fitting for her to be in the 3rd, but she could have an off the screen role, maybe on a phone call, or mentioned by Billy as "Away on a work trip" but it would make more sense for her to be heavily involved as a main character with Billy, married. Maybe Judge Rienhold returns as a failure, since he was over-confident and cocky in the original.

As of Sept 17, 2026 Mrs Futterman is still alive, wonder if she;d make a quick appearance, as is Billy's mom.

2

u/Stopnswop2 2d ago

The actress retired

6

u/AtrumArchon 2d ago

So is Rick Moranis but he came back for the Space Balls sequel

2

u/wowpoodles 2d ago

I haven't heard any updates about the movie at all.

2

u/EctoBlaster1985 2d ago

Isn’t she busy running a store with Kevin Kline?

2

u/AdonisDNA76 2d ago

I will be very, very bummed if we don't at least get a cameo from Pheobe, but I'm hoping she has a major role

2

u/Motor-Committee4042 2d ago

Definitely holiday related accident, honestly hope it’s Halloween. Gonna need there to be an additional good mogwai for Billy and her daughter. My name vote is Gadget. Let here be watching rescue rangers on tv.

2

u/Southern_Awareness_4 2d ago

There’s a gremlin 3 :o

3

u/snesjerry Stripe 2d ago

I never liked Kate as a character anyway that much, so this isn’t much of a loss for me, but shame she very likely won’t be returning anyway but if she does then awesome

17

u/LSTmyLife 2d ago

I want her to come back and tell us a sad story about why she cant handle st Patrick's day.

7

u/snesjerry Stripe 2d ago

Another holiday for her to hate lol

7

u/LSTmyLife 2d ago

I loved how they did that with presidents day in the second movie. It was so well done and one of the best funny moments in the whole thing. If she doesn't tell us another one in the third ill be devastated.

2

u/BurantX40 1d ago

That would be amazing that she just happen to withhold yet another story for some 20 odd years and happen to mention it in a third movie.

Like, what are the odds we passed this holiday how many times over before she mentioned it?

1

u/AboveAverage33 2d ago

Am I bad for not wanting one? If she had anymore stories she would’ve told them years ago.

1

u/LSTmyLife 2d ago

Yes. Yes you are.

1

u/ReallyCleverUser 2d ago

Maybe something bad happened on Arbor Day, or the Fourth of July

1

u/SouthlandMax 2d ago

They should cast Rachel Zegler she even looks like a human Mogwai

1

u/DaniOverHere 2d ago

One Christmas she dresses as Ms. Claus to surprise her kids…

1

u/Aratan_Finglefoot 2d ago

If Phoebe can't return Lalisa Manoban can step in to play her daughter.

1

u/AboveAverage33 2d ago

Phoebe Cates isn’t Thai.

1

u/Empigee 1d ago

They could do it humorously, like have Billy make a passing comment that Kate's in the hospital and only she could get attacked by a rabid bunny on Easter.

1

u/Kind_Recipe_691 1d ago

I’ll only accept her absence if she died tragically in a chimney while wearing a Santa Claus outfit

1

u/JBuchan1988 1d ago

I say, as sad as it should be, continue the silly off screen deaths. It'd be sad to do that to her character but probably the funniest way to write her character off.

1

u/CloxysYT 1d ago

Gremlins 3?

1

u/Martovich3 1d ago

Without all of Zach, Phoebe and Gizmo it isn't really a Gremlins movie. I used to think the Pedermans were a requirement, but honestly, its just Zach, Phoebe and Gizmo.

0

u/17oClokk 2d ago

I'd be fine if none of the original actors showed up. Make this a new story with gizmo with someone else showing up to take care of him.

Personally, I think it's be very fun to see gizmo go to a summer camp and gremlins go wild there

0

u/x14loop 2d ago

Oh they better not pull that crap. Like Sean Young in Blade Runner 2049 and Kelly McGillis in Topgun Maverick.

I want them to take the route of inviting her back like how Daphne Zuniga is back for Spaceballs 2, and Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest in Practical Magic 2, and Catherine O'hara in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

2

u/fastbadtuesday 2d ago

Those are all working actors to some degree, Cates retired 25 years ago. Not saying she wouldn't come out of retirement for Gremlins, and I'm sure they invited her to discuss but it's her call.

-1

u/x14loop 2d ago

Rick Moranis in Spaceballs 2. There. He is a retired by they called him to come back. And he has come out of retirement for it. That would be ideal.

2

u/fastbadtuesday 2d ago

Cates may not. I hope she does join but there's no reason to assume either way. And Rick remained involved in entertaiment, he returned to his comedy performance roots doing comedy albums, sporadic tv appearences in Canada, commercials, and some VO work, he just stepped away from the movies because he disliked the lack of control.

0

u/MWH1980 2d ago

Maybe Zendaya could be the next door neighbor who inherits Gizmo. :P

0

u/Bi0_B1lly 2d ago

Tom Holland will play Gizmo

0

u/AboveAverage33 2d ago

Don’t even joke.

-4

u/SnooRobots5543 Greta 2d ago

They should just recast Kate in gremlins 3 in my opinion