Despite 1984’s Gremlins standing as a holiday classic and its 1990 sequel being a cult favorite, the past 30 years never delivered a Gremlins 3. But the franchise is returning to our screens in a different form this year, with HBO Max’s animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Plus, Mountain Dew just dropped a new commercial that brings back the adorable Gizmo and his owner Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan).
Following the ad’s release, Galligan spoke with EW to talk about the future of the Gremlins franchise and the actor made clear that he’s got high hopes that a threequel could happen. He believes that the studio is using Secrets of the Mogwai to test the waters for how popular this universe is with the younger generation and if the show proves successful – or, as Galligan puts it, “Mandalorian-big” – then he thinks another movie is guaranteed.
“They are doing a ten-part animated series called Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai for HBO Max coming out later this year. You just simply have to look at the nature of the way large entertainment corporations deal with franchises and properties over the years and decades. It’s not difficult to make an educated guess that the cartoon is a way of seeding the younger generation that’s not aware of it. If it is successful, if it gets like Mandalorian-big, then I think Gremlins 3 is inevitable.”
Secrets of the Mogwai is a prequel to the original film, revealing how old shopkeeper Mr. Wing first met Gizmo when he was a boy in 1920s Shanghai. The series features a talented voice cast including Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian), B.D. Wong (Jurassic World), James Hong (Kung Fu Panda), Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason) and Isaac Wang as Sam Wing. A.J. Locascio (Voltron), meanwhile, takes over as the voice of Gizmo, and Gotham‘s Tze Chun serves as showrunner.
As for Gremlins 3, original screenwriter Christopher Columbus has revealed that he’s completed a script, promising that it’s “twisted” and “dark” and that Gizmo would definitely be animatronic like Baby Yoda and not recreated with CGI. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been made yet due to a hold-up with the studio. But, like Galligan says, hopefully it’ll finally get going if Secrets of the Mogwai becomes a hit for HBO Max.
