Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is an American computer-animated fantasy comedy television series.[2] Serving as a prequel to the 1984 film Gremlins and its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch,[3] the series is set in 1920s Shanghai, East China and tells the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing met Gizmo, a young Mogwai.[4] It was written and executive produced by Tze Chun. Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register, and Brendan Hay also serve as executive producers,[5] with Joe Dante (the director of the Gremlins films) as consulting producer. In February 2021, ahead of the series premiere, the series was renewed for a second season.[6][7]

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Based on
Gremlins
by
Developed byTze Chun
Voices of
Music bySherri Chung
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10
Production
Executive producers
ProducerDanielle Witz
Running time22 minutes[1]
Production companies
Release
Original networkMax
Original releaseMay 23, 2023 (2023-05-23) –
present
Related

The first episode had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 13, 2022,[8][1] before the series debuted with the launch of Max on May 23, 2023, consisting of 10 episodes. The series was also set to air on Cartoon Network as part of their ACME Night block.[9][10][11] However the block moved to Adult Swim in September 2023 before that could happened.

Premise

The series focuses on how 10-year-old Sam Wing met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering, and sometimes battling, colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by Riley Greene, a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.[12] The series also delves into the creation of the Mogwai by the goddess Nuwa and her brother Fuxi.

Voice cast

Additional stars

Zach Galligan appeared as Billy Peltzer in both films in the Gremlins series and Haviland Morris appeared as Marla Bloodstone in Gremlins 2: The New Batch.

Episodes
No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date [13]
1"Never Get Them Wet"Michael Chang & Stephanie GonzagaTze ChunMay 23, 2023 (2023-05-23)
2"Never Feed Them After Midnight"Vaughn RossBrendan HayMay 23, 2023 (2023-05-23)
3"Always Buy a Ticket"Stephanie GonzagaAnna ChristopherJune 1, 2023 (2023-06-01)
4"Don't Drink the Tea"Alexandra ChiuSarah NerbosoJune 1, 2023 (2023-06-01)
5"Always Stab or Run"Vaughn RossPeter ChenJune 8, 2023 (2023-06-08)
6"Always Buy a God a Drink First"Stephanie GonzagaBrendan HayJune 8, 2023 (2023-06-08)
7"Never Squeeze a Fox"Alexandra ChiuAnna ChristopherJune 15, 2023 (2023-06-15)
8"Never Hug a Mogwai"Vaughn RossSarah NerbosoJune 15, 2023 (2023-06-15)
9"Never Give Up"Stephanie GonzagaBrendan HayJune 22, 2023 (2023-06-22)
10"Never Ever Expose Them to Bright Light"Alex ChuTze ChunJune 22, 2023 (2023-06-22)

Development

On February 25, 2019, WarnerMedia greenlit an animated series based on Gremlins,[14][15] for its streaming service HBO Max.[16] Tze Chun was confirmed to write the series and serve as an executive producer with Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register, and Brendan Hay.[17] On July 1, 2019, the series, now titled Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, was given a series order of 10 episodes.[18][19]

In February 2020, Joe Dante, director of the original two films, revealed that he was acting as a consultant for the series.[20] In July of that same year, it was revealed that Howie Mandel will not reprise his role as Gizmo for the series.[21] On February 17, 2021, ahead of the series premiere, HBO Max renewed the series for a second season at the TCA virtual Press Tour.[6]

In February 2021, the voice cast of Izaac Wang, Ming-Na Wen, B. D. Wong, James Hong, Matthew Rhys, and Gabrielle Green was announced, with A. J. Locascio voicing Gizmo.[22] In December 2021, the first clip was shown in an HBO Max trailer for 2022 releases.[23] In July 2022, Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang were revealed to have roles in the series. Galligan previously portrayed Billy Peltzer in the films.[10] Animation for the series was provided by Blue Spirit Productions and 88 Pictures.

Release

The first episode of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai had its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 13, 2022,[8][1] before the 10-episode series debuted with the launch of Max on May 23, 2023.[24][25] In September 2021, it was announced the series would air on Cartoon Network as part of their ACME Night block.[9] The series will air in the United Kingdom on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on October 30, 2023. [26]

Critical reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.5/10 based on 19 critics. The website's consensus reads: "Recapturing the original movies' blend of cuteness and mayhem, Secrets of the Mogwai is delightful family entertainment -- just don't feed it after midnight."[27]

References
  1. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival
  2. Welch, Chris (July 9, 2019). "WarnerMedia confirms its Netflix rival will be called HBO Max". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  3. Squires, John (July 1, 2019). "Animated Prequel "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai" Ordered to Series at WarnerMedia!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  4. Evangelista, Chris (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Prequel Animated Series Will Reveal 'Secrets of the Mogwai'". /Film. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  5. Andreeva, Nellie (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Prequel Animated Series Officially A Go At WarnerMedia Streamer". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  6. Petski, Denise (February 17, 2021). "'Gremlins' Prequel Animated Series Gets Early Season 2 Renewal By HBO Max – TCA". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  7. "WarnerMedia Expands Kids & Family Offerings on Cartoon Network and HBO Max Under New Tagline Redraw Your World" (Press release). WarnerMedia. February 17, 2021. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  8. Hopewell, John (March 18, 2022). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' to World Premiere at Annecy Animation Festival (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  9. Milligan, Mercedes (September 1, 2021). "WarnerMedia Kids & Family Launching 'ACME Night' Block Sept. 19". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  10. "'Gremlins' Star Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, George Takei & More Join 'Secrets of the Mogwai' Guests". July 22, 2022.
  11. Pfeiffer, Jeff (April 13, 2023). "Gizmo & His Rambunctious Brethren Are Back in the Teaser for Max's Animated 'Gremlins' Prequel Series". Remind Magazine. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  12. Hamman, Cody (September 1, 2021). "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai HBO Max series will air on Cartoon Network". JoBlo.com. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  13. "Shows A-Z – Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai on Max". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  14. Porter, Rick (February 25, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Series in Development for WarnerMedia Streaming Service". The Hollywood Reporter. Valence Media. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  15. Otterson, Joe (February 25, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Series in the Works at WarnerMedia Streaming Service (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  16. Spangler, Todd (July 9, 2019). "Friends to Leave Netflix for WarnerMedia's HBO Max Streaming Service in 2020". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  17. Iannucci, Rebecca (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Prequel Snags Series Order at WarnerMedia Streaming Service". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  18. Otterson, Joe (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Prequel Ordered to Series at WarnerMedia Streaming". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  19. Trumbore, Dave (January 15, 2020). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai': Release Date Confirmed for HBO Max Animated Series". Collider. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  20. Bui, Hoai-Tran (February 18, 2020). "'Gremlins' Director Joe Dante Will Consult on HBO Max's Animated 'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' Series". /Film. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  21. Cainan (July 16, 2020). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' Update with Writer and Executive Producer Tze Chun". Geek Vibes Nation. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  22. Zorrilla, Mónica Marie (February 16, 2021). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' Adds Ming-Na Wen, BD Wong, Matthew Rhys to Cast (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  23. "HBO Max Reveals New Campaign Spot Highlighting Upcoming Originals, Warner Bros. Streaming Exclusives, Hit Movies and More Arriving in 2022 | Pressroom".
  24. Petski, Denise (April 12, 2023). "'Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai' Gets Premiere Date On Max; Watch Teaser". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  25. Brown, Sarah (January 8, 2023). "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know". MovieWeb. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  26. "CBBC - Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai".
  27. "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
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