10 Movie Sequels That Got A Raw Deal
9. Gremlins 2: The New Batch
It's difficult to overshadow the legacy of Gremlins. The Steven Spielberg-produced family-friendly horror was originally an invention of screenwriter Chris Columbus, who would go on to direct the Home Alone films. But the Gremlins belongs more with its horror inspiration than those feel gooderies, leading with its director Joe Dante.
Dante had recently seen success with his knowledgeable horror-comedy The Howling, and he was on Spielberg's mind since he launched his career with Piranha in his Roger Corman days.
And while Dante has always found his way back to horror, he still find ways to pay homage to his second love: Looney Tunes cartoons.
Though his actual live-action Looney Tunes effort was met with mixed reactions (which is better than what was expected), his sequel to Gremlins represents a far more unhinged tribute to the cartoon and, well, everything Dante loved as a kid.
Dante also launched the website TrailersFromHell, in which he and other filmmakers provide commentary over B-Horror classics and Hammer films, which certainly accounts for Christopher Lee appearing in Gremlins 2: The New Batch as a mad scientist.
Anyone walking into Gremlins 2 expecting more of the same will be granted that fan service, with Gizmo and the more eccentric creatures returning as well as some human characters. But the film's crowning achievement Is John Glover's turn as a Trump/Ted Turner magnate who refuses to screen old movies in black and white.