Baby Yoda Character “Completely Stolen” From ‘Gremlins,’ Says Director Joe Dante
deadline.com“I think the longevity of [the films] is really key to this one character [Gizmo], who is essentially like a baby,” director Joe Dante recently told the San Francisco Chronicle of the star of his classic Gremlins films. “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.”It’s quite a charge, but the two cuddly creatures with extraordinary powers, big eyes and expressive ears do look a lot alike when seen side by side.
However, the initial inspiration for The Mandalorian’s Grugu — Baby Yoda’s actual name — undoubtedly predates the first Gremlins, which came out in 1984.
Yoda made his debut four years prior, as a seemingly impish little swamp creature who bugged Luke Skywalker while he was bogged down on Degobah.
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