A few months ago, I rewatched Gremlins and Gremlins: The New Batch with my nieces, who were watching it for the first time, and I got to see how much they loved it. Now, I can’t wait to share the animated origin story with them.
The first two episodes of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai debuted on Max today, and this is something that everyone can enjoy as a family or by themselves. Because who doesn’t love Gremlins?
Gizmo, our favorite Mogwai, is in the secret land of Mogwais, but somehow an eagle swoops in and tries to kill the lovable animals. Thankfully, Gizmo escapes, and he winds up in Shanghai, China, during the 1920s. Unfortunately, when he arrives there, he is taken in by a circus that keeps him locked up.
Sam Wing, 10, (Izaac Wang) and his grandfather (James Hong) visit the circus and decide to save Gizmo because they know the power of Mogwai gone bad.
They bring Gizmo back to his grandfather’s magic store. However, they know that he has to go back to the land where he came from so that everyone can be safe.
Just as they get to the store, they are greeted by the evil sorcerer Riley Green (Matthew Rhys). He is going to do everything in his power, which is very powerful, to get the legendary and immortal Mogwai.
There is going to be a fight between good and evil in the store, and Sam barely escapes with Gizmo. The two of them, along with teenager Elle (Gabrielle Nevaeh Green), who used to work with Riley, are going to go on a dangerous trek that will have them encounter some of the scariest people and Chinese Folklores imaginable to man as they try to get Gizmo home.
And if that is not scary enough for them, Riley and his Gremlins are never too far behind. Did I mention that Gizmo got wet before he escaped? And did I mention that his offspring ate after midnight? Well, that happened, and they are just as scary as the ones we saw in the movies. Although, I found them lovable.
Anyways. Does the story end when they get Gizmo home, or does it just begin? I can’t tell you that.
What I can tell you is that the first two episodes of the 10-episode series begin streaming today, and two more episodes will debut every Thursday until the season finale on June 22nd.
That, and the animation is beautiful. Even in their most harrowing moments, you can’t look away from the beauty of it all. The amount of care that went into the animation is evident. This is a love letter to something that means a lot to everyone involved, and it shows.
Plus, it is a story that people can love for generations. It has cuteness, adventure, family, and so much more. I didn’t know how much I needed a prequel to Gremlins, but I did. And this satisfies every longing I have been having since I have seen Gremlins: The New Batch in 1990. I promise it will do the same for you.
Now, I just have one request for Warner Bros. Can you release a Gizmo doll? I tried to buy one for my niece, and the only one available is a piece of crap. We all need the original Baby Yoda as a stuffed animal to hug at night.
