SDCC 2024: Gremlins: The Wild Batch Casts Simu Liu, Reveals Guest Stars

Today at San Diego Comic Con, a Marvel Cinematic Universe veteran joined the cast of Gremlins: The Wild Batch — and a DC Extended Universe veteran signed on as a recurring guest star. Max gave fans plenty of news to glom onto, but led with the big guns: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu will join the main cast of the animated series, and Gremlins 2: The New Batch‘s John Glover will return to the franchise. The star, who starred in Smallville and Shazam!, is best known in Gremlins lore for playing the role of eccentric billionaire Daniel Clamp in Gremlins 2. 

While few details were shared about the actor’s guest appearance in season two, executive producers Tze Chun and Brendan Hay hinted on the panel that audiences may get a peek into the Clamp family ancestry this season.

Here’s how Max describes the new season of the series, which launches in October:

Taking place one year after the events of season one, Gremlins: The Wild Batch follows Gizmo, Sam, and Elle as they travel from their home in Shanghai to San Francisco, bringing even more magic, mystery and Mogwai mayhem. Hot on the trail of a new brood of evil Mogwai, our heroes journey deep into the American West, coming up against new supernatural creatures and picking up a few mysterious characters along the way.

Liu will play the role of Chang, a handsome, impossibly charming bootlegger and son to one of San Francisco Chinatown’s most powerful and influential families. His various escapades have led him to spend quite a bit of time in Alcatraz, so much so that his family believes he’s dead. After a twist of fate brings him together with Sam, Elle, and Gizmo, Chang will try to get back to Chinatown while also acting as the trio’s roguish guide to America.

Also announced on today’s panel, Michael Paul Chan—another Amblin film alum who played Data’s father in The Goonies—will also make a guest appearance this season alongside an all-star guest voice cast featuring Ronny Chieng, Keith David, Will Forte, Kelly Hu and Jimmy O. Yang.

Gremlins: The Wild Batch stars Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Izaac Wang, AJ LoCascio, Gabrielle Nevaeh, Simu Liu, and George Takei, among others. The series is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. 

Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer, along with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television, and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as Supervising Producer. Joe Dante serves as consulting producer.

The new season of Gremlins: The Wild Batch will premiere Thursday, October 3rd on Max.