How Steven Spielberg’s key decision for GREMLINS made it a very different film and Gizmo an icon

It’s hard to believe, but Gremlins he is officially 40 years old. This quirky 1984 holiday horror classic remains a beloved part of pop culture, representing one of those quintessential ’80s films that’s just as adored now as it was then.

As a new generation experiences the charm of Gizmo through the animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwainow streaming on Max, director Joe Dante recently reflected on one of the key decisions he made Gremlins such a success thanks to none other than producer Steven Spielberg.

In a recent interview with CinemaBlend, Dante, who is a consulting producer for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwaireflected on Spielberg’s seminal choice that transformed little Mogwai into the hero we know and love today. As Dante revealed:

“Well, for me Gizmo was the key to the success of the entire franchise. And we owe it to Steven Spielberg who put his foot down about two weeks before we started shooting and said, “You know, this Gizmo character who turns into the evil Gremlin after 20 minutes, I like it too much.”

“You have to keep him around throughout the movie.” Which was a nightmare for us because we didn’t have the technology and we didn’t think we’d be able to make it feel real for an entire movie. But we did it.”

Originally, Gizmo was supposed to transform into the Gremlins’ leader, Stripe, at the beginning of the film. It was supposed to be another cute creature that turned sinister, following the infamous “don’t feed them after midnight” rule. But Spielberg saw something special in Gizmo and insisted that he remain in his adorable form throughout the film. This decision was a turning point for the film

The movie would have been very different if Gizmo hadn’t remained Gizmo! Spielberg’s passion for lovable characters like the universally loved E.T. shines through here.

The idea of ​​this innocent, wide-eyed Mogwai transforming into a monstrous Gremlin would have completely altered the tone of the film. Instead, keeping Gizmo as the lovable hero created an emotional core that audiences connected with, helping the film achieve massive popularity.

Of course, keeping Gizmo as the main character wasn’t easy. Dante recalled that, in 1984, they didn’t have the technology to easily make realistic puppets for a character who would be on screen for almost the entire film.

It posed a technical challenge, but it was worth it. Gizmo has become a cultural icon. Dante also shared further insights into the impact Gizmo has had:

“And I think that was one of the main reasons why this movie was so popular at the time and why Gizmo made what is obviously a very strange sequel.

“And over the years people have purchased Gizmo products and named their pets after Gizmo. I met a woman in Switzerland who named her daughter Gizmo. It’s become part of the culture.”

Gizmo has earned a special place in the hearts of fans. From its constant presence in ’80s memorabilia to the endless line of products still produced today, Gizmo’s legacy has lived on.

Spielberg’s intuition to keep it part of the story was instrumental in making the film Gremlins such a timeless success.

Gizmo is once again at the center of a new animated adventure Secrets of the Mogwaiwhere the character gets a new backstory and new depth.

Set in 1920s San Francisco and later the American West, this prequel explores a different side of Gizmo, adding layers to the character that Dante himself believes is “validation” that Gizmo was always destined to be the hero of the history.

Hear us talk about Gremlins on our Secret Level podcast.