'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Director Joe Dante, who helmed the classic 80s horror-comedy Gremlins, has claimed that Baby Yoda's look in The Mandalorian is copied from one of the characters from his acclaimed 1984 film. In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, the filmmaker alleged that the fan-favorite character's look was ''completely stolen'' from Gizmo in Gremlins.
Gremlins tells the story of a man named Billy who receives a pet as a gift from his father. However, there are three instructions pertaining to the pet that need to be followed. When Billy does not follow them, chaos wrecks his town.
Read on to find out more details about Dante's thoughts on Baby Yoda's look in The Mandalorian and its alleged similarities with Gizmo.
Gremlins director Joe Dante claims Baby Yoda's look was copied from Gizmo
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Joe Dante spoke at length about the Gremlins film series and its main character, Gizmo. He said,
''I think the longevity of [the Gremlins films) is really key to this one character (Gizmo), who is essentially like a baby..''
He then mentioned the similarities between Gizmo and Baby Yoda's look, saying,
''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.''
Last year, Gremlins' lead actor Zach Galligan, who played the role of Billy Peltzer in the film, had also spoken about the alleged similarities between the two fan-favorite characters during an interaction with Entertainment Weekly. He said in the interview that he finds his ''buddy'' Gizmo cuter than Baby Yoda.
Baby Yoda, aka Grogu/The Child, is a character from the massively popular Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, which premiered in November 2019. The character, with its adorable look, has turned into a pop culture phenomenon ever since the show's release, with the internet full of Baby Yoda memes.
Gizmo is the lead character from Joe Dante's Gremlins. It also features in the 1990 sequel, titled Gremlins 2: The New Batch. Voiced by comedian-actor Howie Mandel, the iconic character enjoys a massive fan following and plays a huge role in sustaining the Gremlins films' global popularity.
More details about director Joe Dante
Joe Dante is best known for his 1984 cult horror-comedy Gremlins. He also directed the sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch. The first film continues to be regarded as a cult classic and one of the greatest horror-comedies of all time. The sequel, however, was unable to quite match the popularity and commercial success of its predecessor.
Apart from Gremlins, Dante has directed a number of films over the years, including Looney Tunes: Back in Action, Innerspace, Small Soldiers, and many more. His TV credits include Hawaii Five-0, Eerie, Indiana, among many more. Dante's films have an aesthetic that is reminiscent of 1950s B movies mixed with comedic elements that are cartoon-like in nature. He reportedly regards renowned filmmakers like James Whale and Chuck Jones, among many others, as his biggest influences.
