Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai

Last updated

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
Gremlins Secrets of the Mogwai (logo).png
Based on
Gremlins
by
Developed by Tze 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
Original release
Network Max
ReleaseMay 23, 2023 (2023-05-23) –
present
Related

Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is an American 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]

Contents

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 happen. [12]

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. [13] The series also delves into the creation of the Mogwai by the goddess Nuwa and her brother Fuxi.

Voice cast

Additional stars

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date  [14]
1"Never Get Them Wet"Michael Chang & Stephanie Gonzaga Tze Chun May 23, 2023 (2023-05-23)
2"Never Feed Them After Midnight"Vaughn Ross Brendan Hay May 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 , [15] [16] for its streaming service HBO Max. [17] Tze Chun was confirmed to write the series and serve as an executive producer with Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sam Register, and Brendan Hay. [18] On July 1, 2019, the series, now titled Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, was given a series order of 10 episodes. [19] [20]

In February 2020, Joe Dante, director of the original two films, revealed that he acted as a consultant for the series. [21] In July of that same year, it was revealed that Howie Mandel would not reprise his role as Gizmo for the series. [22] 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. [23] In December 2021, the first clip was shown in an HBO Max trailer for 2022 releases. [24] 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. [25] [26] In September 2021, it was announced the series would air on Cartoon Network as part of their ACME Night block. [9] The series aired in the United Kingdom on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on October 30, 2023. [27]

Critical reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.5/10 based on 20 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." [28] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on reviews from seven critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [29]

Related Research Articles

<i>Gremlins</i> 1984 film by Joe Dante

Gremlins is a 1984 American comedy horror film directed by Joe Dante, written by Chris Columbus, and starring Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Polly Holliday, and Frances Lee McCain, with Howie Mandel providing the voice of Gizmo, the main mogwai character. It draws on legends of folkloric mischievous creatures that cause malfunctions—"gremlins"—in the British Royal Air Force going back to World War II. The story follows a young man who receives a strange creature as a pet, which then spawns other creatures who transform into destructive and mischievous imp-like monsters that all wreak havoc on a whole town on Christmas Eve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zach Galligan</span> American actor

Zachary Wolfe Galligan is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Billy Peltzer in the comedy-horror films Gremlins (1984) and Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990).

<i>Gremlins 2: The New Batch</i> 1990 horror comedy film directed by Joe Dante

Gremlins 2: The New Batch is a 1990 American comedy horror film, and the sequel to the 1984 film Gremlins. It was directed by Joe Dante and written by Charles S. Haas, with creature designs by Rick Baker. Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, and Keye Luke reprise their roles from the first film; Belinda Balaski also returns, this time playing a different character. New cast members include John Glover, Robert Prosky, Haviland Morris, Robert Picardo, and Christopher Lee; additionally, the film features Tony Randall providing the voice for one of the gremlins. The story continues the adventures of the creature Gizmo, who spawns numerous small monsters when wet. In the first film, Gizmo's offspring rampaged through a small fictional town. In Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Gizmo multiplies within a skyscraper in New York City after his owner dies. The new creatures thus pose a serious threat to the city should they be able to leave the building, and the story revolves around the human characters' efforts to prevent this disaster.

<i>The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries</i> Animated television series

The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation which aired from September 9, 1995 to February 5, 2000 on Kids' WB. The final episode, containing the segments "The Tail End?" and "This Is the End", was never shown on Kids' WB, not premiering until December 18, 2002, when the show aired in reruns on Cartoon Network. 52 episodes were produced.

<i>The Tom and Jerry Show</i> (2014 TV series) American animated television series

The Tom and Jerry Show is an American flash animated comedy television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Turner Entertainment Co. and animated by Renegade Animation. It is based on the Tom and Jerry characters and theatrical cartoon series created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The series first premiered in Canada on Teletoon on March 1, 2014, and began airing on Cartoon Network in the United States on April 9, 2014, but also aired on Boomerang in the U.S.

<i>Looney Tunes Cartoons</i> American animated television series

Looney Tunes Cartoons is an American animated television series developed by Pete Browngardt and produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the characters from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. The series made its worldwide debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 10, 2019, and premiered on HBO Max on May 27, 2020.

Dune: Prophecy is an upcoming American science fiction television series set in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert, for the streaming service Max. Focusing on the origins of the Bene Gesserit, an exclusive and powerful sisterhood who undergo intense physical training and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman abilities, it takes place approximately 10,000 years before the events of Herbert's novel Dune (1965) and serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve's Dune (2021). The series is produced by Legendary Television, with Alison Schapker serving as showrunner, writer, and executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max (streaming service)</span> American video streaming service

Max, formerly and in Europe still HBO Max, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. It is a proprietary unit of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment, which is itself a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Max first launched in the United States on May 27, 2020.

Close Enough is an American adult animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel. Originally intended to air on TBS in 2017, the project faced various delays and setbacks before eventually premiering on HBO Max on July 9, 2020. The series has received positive reviews, with critics comparing it favorably to Quintel's previous series, Regular Show, which aired on Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2017.

<i>Little Ellen</i> American animated childrens television series

Little Ellen is an American preschool animated television series produced by Ellen Digital Ventures and Warner Bros. Animation, with animation produced by Lighthouse Studios. This is the first Warner Bros. Animation produced series created for Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service HBO Max under the Cartoonito brand and also the first preschoolers-focused series which is not from a popular franchise produced by Warner Bros. Animation since Firehouse Tales.

Izaac Wang is an American actor best known for his work on Good Boys (2019) and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).

<i>The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie</i> Upcoming film by Pete Browngardt

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is an upcoming American animated science fiction comedy film directed by Pete Browngardt and written by Kevin Costello. The film is produced by Warner Bros. Animation in cooperation with GFM Animation and is the first fully animated non-compilation feature film in the Looney Tunes franchise to receive a theatrical release and the first to not be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is a spin-off of the Looney Tunes Cartoons series developed by Browngardt and features the voices of Eric Bauza, Candi Milo, Peter MacNicol, Fred Tatasciore, and Laraine Newman. The film centers on Daffy Duck and Porky Pig as they try to save the Earth from an alien invasion.

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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. 1 2 Hopewell, John (March 18, 2022). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' to World Premiere at Annecy Animation Festival (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Milligan, Mercedes (September 1, 2021). "WarnerMedia Kids & Family Launching 'ACME Night' Block Sept. 19". Animation Magazine . Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "'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. ↑ Flook, Ray (August 28, 2023). "Adult Swim, Cartoon Network Roll Out "Checkered Past" Beginning Today". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ Hamman, Cody (September 1, 2021). "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai HBO Max series will air on Cartoon Network". JoBlo.com . Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Shows A-Z – Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai on Max". The Futon Critic . Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. ↑ Porter, Rick (February 25, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Series in Development for WarnerMedia Streaming Service". The Hollywood Reporter . Valence Media . Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  16. ↑ Otterson, Joe (February 25, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Series in the Works at WarnerMedia Streaming Service (Exclusive)". Variety . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  17. ↑ 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.
  18. ↑ Iannucci, Rebecca (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Prequel Snags Series Order at WarnerMedia Streaming Service". TVLine . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  19. ↑ Otterson, Joe (July 1, 2019). "'Gremlins' Animated Prequel Ordered to Series at WarnerMedia Streaming". Variety . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  20. ↑ Trumbore, Dave (January 15, 2020). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai': Release Date Confirmed for HBO Max Animated Series". Collider . Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  21. ↑ 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.
  22. ↑ Cainan (July 16, 2020). "'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai' Update with Writer and Executive Producer Tze Chun". Geek Vibes Nation. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ "HBO Max Reveals New Campaign Spot Highlighting Upcoming Originals, Warner Bros. Streaming Exclusives, Hit Movies and More Arriving in 2022 | Pressroom".
  25. ↑ Petski, Denise (April 12, 2023). "'Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai' Gets Premiere Date On Max; Watch Teaser". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  26. ↑ Brown, Sarah (January 8, 2023). "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know". MovieWeb . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  27. ↑ "CBBC - Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai".
  28. ↑ "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai : Season 1 (2023) Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved January 11, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.