Before 2019's The Mandalorian and its introduction of incredibly cute and hungry Grogu (Baby Yoda), there was a movie that came out in 1984 by the name of Gremlins that featured a similarly adorable big-eared puppet by the name of Gizmo the Mogwai. It's been 30+ years since Gremlins debuted and director Joe Dante recently sat down with the San Francisco Chronicle.
Dante states:
"Baby Yoda... is completely stolen and just out-and-out copied from the cutest character in Gremlins. Shamelessly, I would think."
Both Grogu and Gizmo are aliens. They both have large, bat-like ears (that are incredibly large compared to how small each creature is). They communicate similarly (cooing and gurgling like babies do). They defend their father-like figures.
According to The Mandalorian showrunners, there are multiple sources of inspiration for Grogu, including: E.T. and Paper Moon.
What do you think? Is Grogu a Gizmo rip-off?