Star Wars: “Shameless Copy” – Was Grogu’s design stolen by Gizmo from “Gremlins”?

He may not actually be called Baby Yoda, but the temporary name given to Grogu from “The Mandalorian” by “Star Wars” fans is very fitting. After all, Grogu comes from Yoda’s species and therefore looks like a very young version of the Jedi Master.

However, Joe Dante, the director of the 80s cult film “Gremlins – Little Monsters”, explains the appearance in front of Grogu differently. In his opinion, Grogu is simply a copy of Gizmo, the little Mogwai from “Gremlins,” as he told the San Francisco Chronicle.

I think the longevity [von “Gremlins”] really matters [Gizmo], who is basically like a baby. Which of course brings me to the topic of Baby Yoda, who is completely stolen and just plain copied. Shameless, I would think.

Joe Dante on Grogu aka Baby Yoda

At least Grogu can get wet!

However, Dante, who attended a revival of his two “Gremlins” films in San Francisco, has no plans to take legal action against Disney or Lucasfilm. With the publicity that he and the Gremlins receive from these accusations, Dante may have already achieved his goal anyway.

Apart from the animated series “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai”, which started in the USA on MAX in 2023 and received little attention, no further “Gremlins” project is currently planned. Incidentally, Ming-Na Wen, who also had contact with Grogu in “The Book of Boba Fett”, can also be heard in “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai”.