Gremlins director Joe Dante has said Baby Yoda is “out-and-out-copied” from the character of Gizmo in his 1984 film and its sequel.
The character debuted in the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian on Disney+. It quickly became the series’ breakout character and an immediate internet sensation.
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday (13 July), Dante alleged that the widely memed character was “completely stolen” from his horror-comedy films.
“I think the longevity of [the film] is really key to this one character (Gizmo), who is essentially like a baby,” Dante told the publication, adding, “Which brings me, of course, to the subject of Baby Yoda, who is completely stolen and is just out-and-out copied. Shamelessly, I would think.”
Baby Yoda first appeared in season one of The Mandalorian in 2019.
Since then, the character – whose name was revealed as Grogu in season two – has become a lynchpin of Disney’s Star Wars brand, spawning everything from plush toys and face masks to a painting at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
The Independent has reached out to Lucasfilm for comment.
In 2019, it was reported that the Gremlins franchise was set for a reboot with an animated prequel coming to HBO Max.
Dante served as a consultant on Gremlins: Return to Mogwai, which is set to make its streaming debut this fall.
