In a world where Stranger Things is the hottest Netflix original on the block at the moment, and Hollywood is trying yet again to make the Ghostbusters a hit again, it's safe to say folks still love the 80s. For that reason no one should be surprised that Gremlins is making a comeback, but some folks may be surprised about how it's coming back. An animated TV series is in development for the WarnerMedia streaming service, and the plot sounds way different than the movies.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai will be a prequel that follows the film's shop owner Mr. Wing back when he was a 10-year-old boy in 1920's China. The story will lay out how he meets Gizmo, and the pair will also befriend a teenage thief by the name of Elle. The trio will roam the Chinese countryside, and sometimes battle other mythical creatures from Chinese folklore. Here's the first image, which shows the title and the outline of a Gremlin.
The ultimate goal in this adventure is for Sam (Mr. Wing's first name) and Elle to reunite Gizmo with his family and find a legendary treasure. It won't be easy, as they're being pursued by a "power-hungry industrialist" who has amassed an army of evil Gremlins to do his bidding. The series has been green-lit for 10 episodes so far, and hopefully more are possible if audiences respond well to it.
It probably doesn't sound like The Gremlins follow-up anyone was expecting, as fans of the movies may have assumed this would be an American adventure. At the very least, some may have thought Billy Peltzer (who wants a Gremlins 3) would play some role, but it appears he'll have zero place in this story set well before his time. With that being said, points to WarnerMedia for creativity, and for finding yet another new direction to take this franchise.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (which was rumored to exist earlier this year) is written by Tze Chun, who worked on shows like Once Upon A Time and Gotham. Other executive producers include Animaniacs and Amazing Stories veterans Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, as well as Sam Register. Chun will co-executive produce with Robot Chicken's Brendan Hay, and Dan Krall (Coraline, Scooby Doo) is a supervising producer. The series is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.
Right now there's no word on where Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai will land, but WarnerMedia has no shortage of television networks in its arsenal that this animated series could run on. It's possible WarnerMedia might hold the series for exclusive release on that its streaming service to attract consumers. It's not a bad idea considering the franchise's popularity, and may help it score some early subscribers just out of curiosity.
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Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is currently in development, but CinemaBlend will be sure to keep readers in the loop on major updates, and other exciting things happening in the world of television.
