The release date for the long-awaited Gremlins animated series has been confirmed alongside the first full-length trailer, and fans won’t have to wait much longer.
The 1984 film Gremlins sees a boy called Billy (played by Zach Galligan) receive a cute furry creature called a Mogwai who goes by the name Gizmo as a Christmas present. This is no ordinary pet however as it multiplies with water and if Mogwai eat after midnight, they turn into killer Gremlins with red eyes and sharp claws.
The film was a smash hit and in addition to various merchandise and computer games, spawned the 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch, which saw the Gremlins try and takeover New York to mixed reviews.
While there has been various talk of further sequels over the years, nothing has actually transpired until now.
Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai was first greenlit in 2019 and serves as a prequel to the films.
The TV show, which is due to begin streaming on HBO from May 23, will take viewers back to 1920s Shanghai where Gizmo meets his original owner Sam Wing, who owns the shop where Billy’s dad gets Gizmo from in the original film.
The premise sees Sam accept the dangerous task to take Gizmo home and embarks on a journey through the Chinese countryside. Sam and Gizmo are joined by a teenage street thief named Elle, and together, they encounter colourful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore.
The voice cast includes Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Matthew Rhys, Izaac Wang, AJ LoCascio and Gabrielle Nevaeh Green.
Special guest stars so far announced include Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei and Bowen Yang, plus Zach Galligan who played Billy in both films.
Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer with original Gremlins director Joe Dante onboard as consulting producer.
