Do you remember the rules? Because “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” is just around the corner, premiering on the newly branded Max (formerly HBO Max). And we’ve got the new trailer (you can watch it above).
Taking place in 1920s Shanghai, “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” is an origin story of how a plucky young Mogwai named Gizmo (AJ LoCascio) met Sam Wing (Izaac Wang), who would grow up to be the shop owner we see in “Gremlins” and “Gremlins 2: The New Batch.” As you can see in the trailer, together, Gizmo and Sam travel the countryside and encounter a number of creatures from Chinese mythology, along with an evil villain (voiced by Matthew Rhys) and his growing army of bad gremlins.
Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong and Gabrielle Nevaeh also star, with guest appearances by Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, Bowen Yang and Zach Galligan, who starred in the earlier “Gremlins” films as Billy Peltzer, future owner of Gizmo. (If you’re wondering why Gizmo is already called Gizmo when Billy’s dad, an inventor, named the Mogwai that during the first “Gremlins,” the trailer seems to suggest that he had another name that Sam mispronounces as Gizmo. Sure.)
The trailer is fun and kinetic, with a nifty art style that calls to mind comic books and the sweep of calligraphy. For some, this will be their introduction to the world of “Gremlins,” which will make the two feature films (which are arguably aimed at a more adult audience) feel like even more of a discovery. Incredibly, this is the first “Gremlins” project since “Gremlins 2” in 1990. Various “Gremlins” sequels have been teased, as recently as late 2020. But a third film has never come to pass.
“Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer, along with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television, and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as supervising producer. And original “Gremlins” filmmaker Joe Dante serves as consulting producer.
Learn more of the secrets when the show premiers on May 23.
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