The Lost Gremlins Cartoon
THE CANCELLED 1990's Animated Series finally revealed
Introduction
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hollywood saw a surge in animated adaptations of popular live-action films. Studios, recognizing the merchandising potential and broad appeal of Saturday morning cartoons, began translating some of their biggest movie franchises into serialized animated form. Hits like Ghostbusters became The Real Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice was re-imagined for younger audiences in a quirky cartoon series, and even R-rated properties like RoboCop, Tales From the Crypt, and The Toxic Avenger found new life in animated adaptations.
Amid this boom, Gremlins seemed like a natural candidate for animated treatment. The 1984 original had become a cultural phenomenon, blending horror, humor, and creature effects in a way that appealed to both kids and adults. With Gremlins 2: The New Batch hitting theaters later in 1990, Warner Bros. and Amblin looked to extend the franchise's reach with an animated series that could capture the imaginations of younger viewers while keeping the mischievous charm of the original films intact.
Origins of the Series
Prior to the release of Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Warner Bros. moved to develop an animated adaptation of the franchise. While there are conflicting reports about how far into production the project advanced—some sources suggest a single pilot episode may have entered development, while others dispute whether even a script was finalized—what is certain is that significant conceptual work was underway. Character drawings and visual development art were created, and the creative team was actively thinking through how the series might evolve in terms of recurring characters, episode structure, and plotlines.
It's widely believed that the animated series was being developed in tandem with the production of Gremlins 2 in order to piggyback on the renewed excitement surrounding the franchise. The intent was likely to launch the show shortly after the film’s release, capitalizing on its momentum and expanding the property into the animated TV landscape, much like other franchises of the time. Evidence of these intentions can be found in a 1990 issue of Bugs Bunny Magazine, which listed the upcoming Gremlins cartoon as "coming soon," suggesting that Warner Bros. was already positioning the series for public rollout.
The only public mention of the Gremlins cartoon, in Bugs Bunny magazine, 1990
Tentatively titled Gizmo and the Gremlins, the proposed series was envisioned as a serialized, kid-friendly continuation of the film universe. The central idea focused on Gizmo as the heroic Mogwai, facing off each week against the mischief wrought by Stripe and other rogue gremlins. The format would have likely featured a blend of slapstick humor and light adventure, following the trend of contemporaneous shows that adapted darker or more mature films for younger audiences.
A mockup of what the logo could have looked like for the 90's WB cartoon.
Joe Dante's Reflections
Director Joe Dante, who helmed both Gremlins films, confirmed in a 2012 Reddit AMA that the animated series was indeed real and fairly far along in pre-production. "It was going full bore," Dante wrote, until Gremlins 2 under-performed at the box office. He explained that the show was effectively cancelled due to the sequel's disappointing financial returns, not because of content concerns or parental backlash. "All the work that had gone into it – character designs, scripts, casting – was scrapped. Nothing was ever animated to my knowledge," he added.
Dante's candid remarks put to rest long-standing speculation that the cartoon was halted due to the original films' PG-13 violence. Instead, it was a pragmatic studio decision: the franchise no longer seemed commercially viable in the wake of The New Batch's less than expected draw.
Original character sketches from the "Gizmo and the Gremlins" animated cartoon
The Legacy and Mystery
No footage, animation cels, or scripts have surfaced, with only scattered hints pointing to the project’s existence. The only surviving details came from brief promotional mentions and behind-the-scenes recollections like Dante's.
That changed in 2025 when The Gremlins Museum unearthed a treasure trove of animation concept art previously assumed to be lost forever. The recovered collection contains 25 pencil drawings showcasing a rich variety of character studies, including Gizmo, Billy, and a clearly defined Stripe as the central villain. Notably, the art also depicts several of Stripe’s planned henchmen: a comedic Lenny-and-George-style duo, a female gremlin, and an eccentric, artist-type gremlin. The illustrations convey a consistent theme of mayhem, with scenarios centered around Stripe and his gang attempting to tempt Gizmo into eating after midnight—rekindling the chaos central to the original films.
What Could Have Been
Looking at these beautiful character study illustrations, we couldn’t help but imagine what the 1990's animated Gremlins series might have looked like. Using Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures as stylistic and tonal reference points, we put together a few "cels" that envision how Gizmo and the Gremlins could have appeared on screen—balancing the playful energy of Warner Bros. cartoons with the darker, mischievous spirit of the films.
