This Meta Horror Sequel Is Unlike Anything That Has Come Out of Hollywood and Is Now Streaming on HBO Max
One of the best horror-comedy sequels ever made has found a new streaming home. Starting August 1, viewers with an HBO Max subscription will find Gremlins 2: The New Batch in the streamer’s library, and they’ll have the chance to see the movie that defied all conventions back in 1990 — and still feels like a direct jab at the studio system. In terms of going meta, you can’t do better than Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
In the film, the devilish little creatures are no longer in Kingston Falls. Instead, they have emerged from the adorable Gizmo in the middle of New York City, leaving Billy and Kate to fight them again as they invade a huge skyscraper in Manhattan. They show no signs of stopping their usual rampage, and seem more creative than ever in unleashing chaos. The Rotten Tomatoes synopsis reads as follows:
The magical collectibles store that Gizmo calls home has just been destroyed, and the tiny monster finds his way into a newly erected skyscraper. Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) and his bride-to-be, Kate (Phoebe Cates), who have previously dealt with Gremlins run amok, discover that Gizmo and an impish legion of reptilian pals are inhabiting the downtown building. The couple tries to stop the creatures from escaping into New York City, but this new batch of beasts might be uncontrollable.
Upon release, the film didn’t have a great box office performance, only making a little over $40 million against its $50 million production budget. The reception by critics was also mixed; today, it has a 71% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Regardless of the initial poor result, the film’s cult following is unmatched.
Other films that landed on HBO Max this August include Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Legend of Ochi, Kung Fu Panda 2, and both entries in the Barbershop franchise.
That Time When the Gremlins Broke Every Wall in the Entertainment Business
Gremlins 2: The New Batch was the result of the success of its predecessor. 1984’s Gremlins offered an irresistibly unique take on horror comedy, and though it defied conventions, it made more than $200 million at the box office. Warner Bros. wanted more of that, but filmmaker Joe Dante didn’t agree. He felt the first chapter had been enough, and his experience making the movie hadn’t been great. After the studio tried to produce the sequel with other directors, nothing came to fruition, so they returned to Dante, who agreed on the condition that he had creative control over the entire production. Thus was born one of the most original film experiences in cinematic history.
The sequel is a blend of horror tropes, Looney Tunes humor, and plenty of self-references to the movie industry. There are countless cameos, as well as the most outrageous musical number you can imagine. But perhaps the most original decision Dante made was to involve the audience in the movie.
The experience varied depending on where you were watching it, but at one point the gremlins sabotage the movie and break the fourth wall. If you saw it in theaters, then the gremlins invaded the booth and played with the reels. If you saw it on VHS, then the gremlins would play with the tape. And if you were reading the film novelization, the gremlins took over the author’s typewriter and even wrote a chapter themselves. Needless to say, Gremlins 2: The New Batch remains a unique experience, the likes of which Hollywood has never attempted again.
Source: Warner Bros. Discovery
