Well, this is an interesting thought. Joe Dante, the director for the classic Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch is making some interesting claims about the similarities between his classic beloved Mogwai and the now also classic and beloved Grogu, aka Baby Yoda aka The Child. Here is the statement he made during an interview with SFChronicle.

“I think the longevity of (the films) is really key to this one character (Gizmo), who is essentially like a baby,” the legendary horror and science fiction filmmaker said with a wry smile, during a video chat ahead of his appearance in San Francisco. “Which brings me, of course, to the subject of Baby Yoda, who is completely stolen and is just out-and-out copied. Shamelessly, I would think.”

Gizmo was introduced in 1984 in the film produced by Steven Spielberg and written by Chris Columbus. Starring Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates, with Howie Mandel voicing Gizmo. Baby Yoda made his debut in 2019’s The Mandalorian and has taken the pop culture world by storm. While there are similarities to both characters, they are also vastly different in personality, abilities, and of course, looks. This claim feels like a bit of a stretch.

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While this debate is now taking place, Gizmo is getting ready to make his return to television in animated form. This fall HBO Max will release, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. It will feature the voices of Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, and James Hong. Dante will return to the franchise and serve as a consultant on the series.

Dante’s comments came in an interview ahead of a presentation of the Gremlins films at the Castro Theater in San Francisco this weekend. They will be presented in 35mm and Q&A after each film. The first film is a rarely seen preview edition that is basically a director’s cut that is not available on home video.

What do you think of these copy claims? Let us know in the comment section below!

Sources: SFChronicle via IndiWire