The director of ‘Gremlins’ claims that Baby Yoda is a “shameless” copy of his creature Gizmo
‘The Mandalorian’ has quickly become one of the best series on Disney + and, possibly, in the best adaptation to the small screen of the ‘Star Wars’ universe‘. And much of the blame for this lies with her most iconic and mediatic character: Baby Yoda.
grogthe creature belonging to the same alien species as Master Yoda, is the heart of one of the best series of ‘Star Wars’, and it is also a commercial claim when it comes to selling merchandising (something that the franchise has always had in mind). But suspicions about its originality have run through social networks since its appearance and identifying features were revealedand now an authoritative voice on the subject has wanted to point to possible plagiarism.
Joe Dante, director of the two ‘Gremlins’ filmshas been blunt about it: “Baby Yoda has been stolen from ‘Gremlins’, they have copied Gizmo. Shamelessly, I would think.”
The director is promoting the new animated series based on his universe, ‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’which will serve as a prequel to the 1984 Christmas classic, and will be set in 1920s Shanghai, where a 10-year-old boy named Sam Wing will meet a young Mogwai who answers to the name of… Gizmo.
“I think the longevity of the movies is really key for this character. [Gizmo]which is essentially like a babyDante said to San Francisco Chronicle. “Which brings me, of course, to the subject of Baby Yoda, who has been completely stolen and simply copied.“
Zach Galligan, star of ‘Gremlins’, already addressed the similarities between the two characters last year talking with The Holywood Reporteracknowledging that he had seen memes on social networks mocking the resemblance between the two creatures: “People have been bombarding me on social media with comparisons, scale drawings and everything, and coming up with all kinds of theories about whether or not there was some kind of conscious decision behind it,” Galligan said. “All I can say is this: In a lot of ways, it’s really cool because it’s always so helpful in media to have a contrast. Which one do you like the most? Which was first? It’s just another kind of narrative that you can use to drive people’s engagement.”
The prequel to ‘Gremlins’ has been developed, written and produced by Tze Chun for WB Animation and Amblin TV, while Joe Dante remains in the ‘Gremlin’ universe as a consultant. The first season of the series will have 10 half-hour episodes. each and will premiere soon on HBO Max.
For his part, Grogu will return in season 3 of ‘The Mandalorian’ in february 2023 on Disney+.
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
