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 is officially 40 years old. This quirky 1984 horror holiday classic remains a beloved part of pop culture, standing as one of those quintessential '80s movies that is just as adored now as it was back then.

As a new generation gets to experience Gizmo’s charm through the animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, now streaming on Max, director Joe Dante recently reflected one of the key decisions that made Gremlins such a hit 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 Mogwai, reflected on Spielberg’s pivotal choice that turned the little Mogwai into the hero we know and love today. As Dante revealed:

“Well, for me, Gizmo has been the key to the success of the entire franchise. And, we owe that 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 bad Gremlin after 20 minutes, I like him too much.

“You have to keep him around for the whole movie.’ Which was a nightmare for us because we didn’t have the technology, we didn’t think we would be able to make him look real for an entire movie. But we managed to do it.”

Originally, Gizmo was set to transform into the leader of the Gremlins, Stripe, early in the movie. He was meant 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 he remain in his adorable form throughout the film. This decision was a game-changer for the film

The movie would have been so different had Gizmo not stayed Gizmo! Spielberg’s fondness for lovable characters like the universally loved E.T. shone through here.

The idea of this wide-eyed, innocent Mogwai turning 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 movie soar to massive popularity.

Of course, keeping Gizmo as the star wasn’t easy. Dante recalled that, back in 1984, they didn’t have the technology to easily pull off realistic puppetry for a character that would be on screen for nearly the entire film.

It presented a technical challenge, but it was worth every bit of effort. Gizmo became a cultural icon. Dante also shared more insights about the impact Gizmo had:

“And, I think it was one of the main reasons why this picture was so popular at the time and why Gizmo carried what is obviously a very odd sequel.

“And, over the years people have bought Gizmo merchandise 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 his constant presence in '80s memorabilia to the endless line of merchandise still produced today, Gizmo’s legacy has endured.

Spielberg’s intuition to keep him a part of the story was instrumental in making Gremlins such a timeless hit.

Gizmo is once again at the center of a new adventure in the animated Secrets of the Mogwai, where the character gets a fresh backstory and new depth.

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

Listen to us talk about Gremlins on our podcast Secret Level.