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The cuddly yet chaotic cult horror icons are finally ready to return in a more family-friendly capacity with the release of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai for the first time since the original film was released in 1990. The new Max animated series now brings the long-dormant property back to life, which tells the origin stories of the fan-favorite monsters and details the lives of one specific Mogwai.
Mogwai are more commonly referred to as Gremlins. Still, they were first shown to audiences worldwide in the 1984 film adaptation of Gremlins. In the movie, Howie Mandel plays an American inventor named Gizmo. He is driven by the desire to give his son a memento of his time spent in Chinatown, New York. He searches high and low for the perfect gift and finds it in the form of a peculiar creature named Gizmo. After purchasing the creature from a little boy, the inventor is given instructions on how to care for it, which include not exposing it to bright light, not providing it with any water, and not feeding it after midnight under any circumstances. All of these restrictions are broken by Billy, the inventor’s son, a kind-hearted but irresponsible young man played by Zach Galligan. As a result, an army of evil Gremlin clones is accidentally released, and only Billy and Gizmo can stop them. They only succeed with a hair’s breadth. Then the person who originally owned Gizmo returns and took back the powerful beast to prevent Gizmo from doing any more damage.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch would continue the beloved story begun in the original film, which deftly mixed comedy and horror into a story appropriate for the whole family. The very self-aware sequel sees a new evil bunch of Gremlins take over a New York building, commanded by a particularly intelligent Mogwai capable of complex communication. The Gremlins are led by a Mogwai who can understand complex language. It is generally agreed upon that the film is an effective continuation of the 1984 original. Still, the franchise has been put on indefinite hold due to poor box office returns.
The Gremlins film franchise has been the subject of many failed attempts to be brought back to life, but those efforts have finally paid off. The events of Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai take place years before those in the first picture, and the cast includes both returning faces and brand-new additions. A complete cast and character guide is provided below for your perusal. Here, you can learn who these characters are and who will provide their voices.
A.J. LoCascio as Gizmo
A veteran voice actor and star of Voltron: Legendary Defender, A.J. LoCascio, will be taking over the part of Gizmo, which Howie Mandel formerly portrayed. LoCascio will have some big ears to fill as Gizmo.
In the films that inspired him, Gizmo is depicted as a carefree and curious tiny creature who is interested in the environment around him. Gizmo is a kind spirit with a kind heart. Because of this, he has a special soft place for people and finds the company of humans to be rather enjoyable. He doesn’t even bat an eye when a strange American buys him and gives him to a small boy named Billy to keep as a pet. Despite this, Gizmo is the source of many troubles, particularly when Billy is required to adhere to the three rules he is expected to obey. This begins when Gizmo gets water on him, which causes dozens of clones of him to come out of the loving creature. This is when everything goes downhill from there. These clones may have an adorable and cuddly appearance, but make no mistake; they are not the kind-hearted Mogwai that Gizmo is; rather, they are naughty from the beginning. Things take a turn for the worse when Billy feeds the clones after midnight by accident, which leads the clones to mutate into horrific creatures who are violent. Gizmo, who is luckily untouched by these alterations, assists Billy in vanquishing the rogue Mogwai and ending the conflict once and for all.
It is revealed to us in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai that Gizmo is quite a bit older than he appears. This is because the series’ events take place in Shanghai in the 1920s, nearly a century before the events in the original film. During this period, Gizmo’s close human partner was Sam Wing (Izaac Wang).
Izaac Wang as Sam Wing
Izaac Wang’s performance as the dynamic and endearing Boun in Raya and the Last Dragon was his debut in the field of voice acting, and he immediately made an outstanding first impression. Although his appearance as Sam Wing in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai may at first give the impression that he is playing a new character, in reality, it is one that we are very familiar with.
Do you remember who owned the Gizmo before you? That was the wise old guy that cautioned the inventor not to mess with the Mogwai and instructed him not to provoke them? It’s still Sam Wing, a much older and more experienced version of himself. Sam has been taking care of Gizmo ever since the 1920s, even though he was only given the credit of “Grandfather” in the original film and was portrayed by Keye Luke. The only times he is seen on screen are at the opening and the end of the first film (as well as in a brief cameo in Gremlins 2: The New Batch). He is the one who initially informs the creator that Gizmo is not available for purchase on the market. After everything that his clones created, he is the one who, in the end, can reclaim Gizmo as his own. However, it is a friendly farewell because the American family has concluded that the Mogwai will be happier living with his previous owner.
Gizmo’s backstory won’t be the only one revealed in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai; Sam Wing’s will also be revealed. We will see a different interpretation of the character, one in which he is not an elderly man with years of experience but rather a young lad who is still attempting to unravel the mysteries surrounding his intriguing furry friend.
James Hong as Grandpa
He will have a wise grandfather in Secrets of the Mogwai, much like Sam had his grandson in the original Gremlins. Animation fans will be delighted to see that prolific character actor James Hong will play him. His over four hundred roles resume includes the Kung Fu Panda trilogy, Big Trouble in Little China, and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The instantly recognized voice of Hong is one of the first things that we hear in the trailer for Secrets of the Mogwai, where it is made abundantly apparent that he will be playing the role of a guide who is aware of what the Mogwai are capable of. His explanatory narration introduces the species, describes how dangerous they are, and discusses the three guidelines one must remember when caring for the critters.
Gabrielle Nevaeh as Elle
Gabrielle Nevaeh (That Girl Lay Lay), who will be playing the role of Elle, will be aiding Sam in his mission to safeguard Gizmo so that he won’t be alone in this endeavor.
Elle seems to be a young woman around the same age as Sam. Because of her connection with Sam, Elle is compelled to protect Gizmo from the numerous forces chasing him, despite her reservations about doing so. She is willing to assist Sam and Gizmo on their mission even though she knows this magic-filled journey is ridiculous on several levels.
Ming-Na Wen and BD Wong as Fong and Hon Wing
Two adults in the Wing family, presumably Sam’s parents, will also have some level of star power tied to them. Among these are Ming-Na Wen, author of “The Book of Boba Fett,” and BD Wong, author of “Jurassic World.”
Fong and Hon Wing have yet to show us much of their work. Even still, it’s unlikely that they’ll be pleased to see Sam surrounding himself with lifeforms that are both exceedingly risky and shrouded in mystery.
Matthew Rhys as Riley Greene
While we know that the nefarious Gremlins will return for Secrets of the Mogwai, there is also a new danger on exhibit. Perry Mason himself, Matthew Rhys, plays the role of the antagonist.
The Gremlins franchise is about to get a major boost in the form of magic courtesy of Riley Greene. Gizmo holds a remarkable fascination for him, and he seeks to acquire his services for his sinister objectives. Greene demonstrates the full scope of his power multiple times in the promotional trailers for the upcoming film. His Greene eyes and fondness for sorcery will make him a fresh and novel adversary for Sam, Elle, and Gizmo.
Guest Appearances Confirmed for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai
In addition to the core cast members, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai will feature cameos from many additional well-known actors and actresses in supporting roles. A few examples of these actors are Sandra Oh from “Killing Eve,” Randall Park from “Fresh Off the Boat,” George Takei from “Star Trek,” and Bowen Yang from “Saturday Night Live.” Zach Galligan, who originated the role of Billy in the prequels and sequels, is also scheduled to make an appearance. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether he will continue to play the role or provide the voice for the character.
On May 23, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai will have its world debut on Max on the same day it will launch in theaters.
