Gremlins director Joe Dante says Baby Yoda was shamelessly stolen from Gizmo

Upon his introduction in the very first episode of The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda (or Grogu) has captured the hearts of millions across the globe. The diminutive green dude is definitely adorable, even when he’s shamelessly eating someone’s offspring. However, Gremlins director Joe Dante believes that Baby Yoda is a ripoff of Gizmo.

While speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Joe Dante said that the “longevity of [the Gremlins movies] is really key to this one character [Gizmo], who is essentially like a baby. 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.” With their large eyes and distinctive ears, the two characters do look alike, but adult Yoda did debut in The Empire Strikes Back, four years before the release of Gremlins. Just saying.

Gizmo will soon be returning (in a younger form) in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, a ten-episode animated prequel series set to debut on HBO Max. The series is set in 1920s Shanghai and tells the story of how naive 10-year-old Sam Wing met the young Mogwai known as Gizmo. “Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering, and sometimes battling, colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore,” reads the official synopsis. “On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins.” The series doesn’t have an official release date yet but has already been renewed for a second season. As for Baby Yoda, he’ll be returning in the third season of The Mandalorian, which will debut on Disney+ in February 2023.

What do you think? Is Baby Yoda a ripoff of Gizmo from Gremlins?