You've got to respect the sheer chutzpah of anyone willing to take a swing at Baby Yoda, arguably the most universally adored fictional character of the 21st century. Little Grogu (that's his real name) is so deeply beloved that he can even do a little genocide and get away with a slap on the wrist from a few handwringers on Twitter.
But now, Gremlins director Joe Dante has asked Grogu to meet him out back in five. Currently promoting a new Gremlins spin-off, he couldn't help but draw attention to the similarities between his big-eyed creation Gizmo (you know, the and Grogu.
“I think the longevity of [the Gremlins films] is really key to this one character [Gizmo], who is essentially like a baby,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle. “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.”
Now, it should be said that the most obvious reference point for Grogu, OG Yoda, predates Gremlins by four years. But, when it comes to the actual baby-fication of Yoda? We can kinda see what he means. Those big eyes? Those silly, floppy ears? The little creepy three-pronged paws? OG Yoda was not a looker, and the baby-like aesthetics of Baby Yoda is what made him an immediate household name.
That said, the Gremlins design team didn't exactly invent the wheel themselves. Large, round eyes and big ears have been a staple of cartoon cutesiness for decades.
Gremlins star Zach Galligan spoke about the likeness last year, and seemed to be a little less mad about it. “People have been bombarding me on social media with comparatives, scale drawings and everything, and coming up with all sorts of theories about whether or not there was any kind of conscious decision behind it,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “All I can say is this: In many ways, it’s really great because it’s always very helpful in media to have a foil. Which one do you like better? Which one was first? It just is another kind of narrative you can use to drive people’s engagement.”
