Comic-Con 2022: Gremlins Star Zach Galligan Calls Secrets of the Mogwai Return "Kind of Shocking"

This past weekend's San Diego Comic-Con brought with it a number of exciting announcements about all-new projects, but one of the more exciting reveals for Gremlins fans was the confirmation that star of the original movies Zach Galligan is returning to the franchise for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai. Even the actor himself is just as excited and surprised by the return, as he recalled to ComicBook.com that the timing of securing the role meant a full-on immersion in the beloved franchise that he had been away from for 30 years. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is expected to debut on HBO Max later this year.

"It was sudden and kind of shocking and amazing and super fun. I happened to get the Mountain Dew commercial and the Secrets of the Mogwai gig the same week," Galligan recalled during our Comic-Con 2022 conversation. "So after 30 years of nothing, you have these two amazing gigs and just a new creative team and a new experience. I can't really say too much about what I'm doing in the show, but it's fun, it's kind of unexpected, it's different, and I think people are really gonna dig it."

While audiences are surely excited about Galligan coming back to the beloved franchise, he won't be voicing his iconic Billy for the series, as the narrative takes place decades before Billy was even born. 

The series is described, "A period piece set in 1920s Shanghai, the series reveals how a 10-year-old Sam Wing -- who becomes the future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie -- met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. They strike up a lifelong friendship as Wing attempts to return Gizmo to his family, encountering and sometimes battling colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. Meanwhile, the two and street thief Elle are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins." 

Even if this return might not be the one that audiences were hoping for, we can't rule out a live-action return for Billy, as the upcoming animated series could entirely revive interest in the concept and result in substantial development of a third live-action film.

Stay tuned for details on Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai before it debuts on HBO Max later this year.

Are you excited by Galligan's return? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!