For the first time since 1990, the cuddly yet chaotic cult horror icons are finally set to return in a more family-friendly capacity withGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. The new Max animated series finally brings the long-dormant franchise to life once again, telling the origins of the fan-favorite creatures and detailing the life of one particular Mogwai.
Better known as Gremlins, the Mogwai were introduced to audiences around the world with the originalGremlinsfilm from 1984. The film depicts an ambitious American inventor who wants to bring his son something special from his time in Chinatown, New York, and he finds that in a strange creature called Gizmo (Howie Mandel). After buying the creature from a young boy, the inventor is given three rules to follow; don’t put him in bright light, don’t give him any water, and never, ever, feed him after midnight. The inventor’s son, a good-hearted but careless young man named Billy (Zach Galligan) breaks all of these rules and inadvertently unleashes an army of evil Gremlin clones that only he and Gizmo can stop. They barely succeed, only for Gizmo’s original owner to come back and take back the powerful creature to keep him from causing any further harm.
The first film effortlessly combined comedy and horror into a beloved family-friendly story, and the story would continue inGremlins 2: The New Batch. The incredibly self-aware sequel sees a new nefarious group of Gremlins takes over a New York skyscraper, led by a particularly intelligent Mogwai capable of complex speech.The film is commonly regarded as a solid sequel to the 1984 original, but poor box-office earnings led to the franchise being put on indefinite ice.
While many attempts to revive theGremlinsseries have been floated over the years, none have ever come to fruition until now.Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwaitakes place decades before the events of the first film, featuring characters both familiar and brand new. To find out who these characters are and who will be voicing them, read below for a comprehensive cast and character guide.
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A.J. LoCascio as Gizmo
Veteran voice actor andVoltron: Legendary DefenderstarA.J. LoCasciowill have some big ears to fill as Gizmo, taking over the role that was originally played by Howie Mandel.
As we see in the original films, Gizmo is a happy-go-lucky little creature who is fascinated by the world around him. A gentle soul with a kind heart, Gizmo has a particular soft spot for humans, enjoying their companionship quite a bit. He doesn’t bat an eye when he’s purchased by a strange American and given as a pet to young Billy. Still, Gizmo proves to be the source of a lot of problems, especially when Billy neglects to observe the three rules when he’s supposed to follow. This really begins when Gizmo gets water on him, which causes dozens of clones of him to pop out of the lovable creature. These clones might look cute and cuddly, but make no mistake; they are not the good-hearted Mogwai like Gizmo is, instead being mischievous right out of the gate. Things get worse when Billy accidentally feeds the clones after midnight, which causes them to mutate into horrifying and aggressive creatures. Gizmo is thankfully unaffected by these changes and helps Billy defeat the rogue Mogwai once and for all.
InGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, we learn that Gizmo is a lot older than he looks. That’s because the series takes place nearly a century before the events of the original film, taking place in 1920s Shanghai. During this time period, Gizmo had another close human companion, Sam Wing (Izaac Wang).
Izaac Wang as Sam Wing
Izaac Wang made an incredible first impression in voice acting when he breathed life into the charismatic and charming Boun inRaya and the Last Dragon. His character of Sam Wing inGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwaimay initially seem like an unfamiliar face, but it is actually a character we’ve met before.
Remember the Gizmo’s original owner? The old man who warned the inventor and told him not to trifle with the Mogwai? That’s Sam Wing, albeit a much older and wiser one. Credited merely as “Grandfather” in the original film and played byKeye Luke, Sam has apparently been caring for Gizmo ever since the 1920s. He’s only seen at the very beginning and very end of the original film (as well as a brief appearance inGremlins 2: The New Batch). At the start, he’s the one who tells the inventor that Gizmo is not for sale. In the end, he’s the one who reclaims Gizmo after all the chaos caused by his clones, though it’s an amicable goodbye as the American family agrees that the Mogwai is much better off with his original owner.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwaiwon’t just be an origin for Gizmo, but also for Sam Wing. We’ll see a very different version of the character, not being an older man with years of wisdom, but a young boy who isn’t quite sure what to make of his mysterious furry friend.
James Hong as Grandpa
Much like Sam had his own grandson in the originalGremlins, he’ll have a wise grandfather of his own inSecrets of the Mogwaiand animation fans will be delighted to see he’ll be played by prolific character actorJames Hong, whose resume of over four-hundred roles includesBig Trouble in Little China,Everything Everywhere All at Once, and theKung Fu Pandatrilogy.
One of the first things we hear in the trailer forSecrets of the Mogwaiis Hong’s instantly recognizable voice, where it’s clear he’ll be serving the role of a mentor who knows what the Mogwai are capable of. His expository narration introduces not only the species and how dangerous they are but also the three rules one must remember when caring for the creatures.
Gabrielle Nevaeh as Elle
Sam won’t be alone in his quest to protect Gizmo, asGabrielle Nevaeh(That Girl Lay Lay) will also be assisting as the character of Elle.
Elle appears to be a young woman of similar age to Sam, whose friendship with the boy leads her to reluctantly assist in protecting Gizmo from the various forces that are pursuing him. She’s clearly aware that this magic-filled adventure is insane on multiple levels, but she still seems eager to help Sam and Gizmo on their quest.
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Ming-Na Wen and BD Wong as Fong and Hon Wing
Two adults in the Wing family (presumably the parents of Sam) will also have some star power attached. This includesMing-Na Wen(The Book of Boba Fett) andBD Wong(Jurassic World).
We haven’t seen much from Fong and Hon Wing, but they likely won’t be thrilled with Sam surrounding himself with extremely dangerous and mysterious lifeforms.
Matthew Rhys as Riley Greene
While we know that the evil Gremlins are returning forSecrets of the Mogwai, there’s also an entirely new threat on display, and he’s played by Perry Mason himself,Matthew Rhys.
Riley Greene appears to be bringing magic front and center to theGremlinsfranchise. For whatever reason, he’s remarkably intrigued by Gizmo and wants him for his own nefarious purposes.Greene repeatedly shows the extent of his power in the trailers, with his Greene eyes and affinity for sorcery bound to make him a new and unique threat to Sam, Elle, and Gizmo.
Guest Appearances Confirmed for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
In addition to the main cast, several other big stars are set to appear in a guest capacity inGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. These includeKilling Eve’sSandra Oh,Fresh Off the Boat’sRandall Park,Star Trek’sGeorge Takei, andSaturday Night Live’sBowen Yang.Also set to appear isZach Galligan, who of course played Billy in the original films, though it’s unclear if he’ll be reprising the role or voicing a new character.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwaipremieres on Max the same day it launches on May 23rd.
