Gremlins (1984)
Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous.
After receiving an exotic small animal as a Christmas gift, a young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet, which unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous creatures on a small town.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 8 June 1984 |
| Genre | Fantasy, Horror, Comedy |
| Director | Joe Dante |
| Starring | Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates and Hoyt Axton |
| Runtime | 106 min |
| Rated | PG |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.4/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 86% · Metacritic 70/100 · TMDB users 7.1/10 |
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $213 million worldwide |
Where to watch Gremlins
Gremlins is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Max is $18.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 30 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent Gremlins on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
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What kind of watch this is
Joe Dante’s 1984 film takes a single, simple premise and lets it spiral into chaos with the confidence of a man who knows exactly where the camera should be. It is 106 minutes of escalating mayhem, anchored by the stark reality that a small creature’s cuteness is a temporary state, not a permanent trait. The movie operates on a tight leash, pulling the audience back from the edge of horror just long enough to make the next jump scare land harder. It is a tightrope walk between slime and laughter, and it rarely wobbles.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 86% as of January 2026, with an average of 7.4 out of 10 from October 2021. Metacritic lands on 70. The consensus leans toward admiration, though with reservations. Roger Ebert saw a "sly series of send-ups" that parodied elemental film storylines. Gene Siskel called it "a wickedly funny and slightly sick ride." Not everyone was charmed. Vincent Canby found it more interested in movie lore than consistent entertainment. Leonard Maltin, who later appeared in the sequel as a throttled cameo, called it "icky." He gave it 2 out of 4.
How it did with audiences
Produced for $11 million, Gremlins took in $213 million worldwide, a gap that suggests the studio did the math correctly. Of that, $154 million came from the United States, where it opened to $12.5 million, just behind Ghostbusters in its debut weekend. Audiences on TMDB rate it 7.1 out of 10. It was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, a stat that survives the passage of time better than the rules for keeping your pet alive.
What came next for the cast
Phoebe Cates came off the fast-talking energy of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. She returned to the franchise for Gremlins 2: The New Batch, then pivoted to the oddity of Drop Dead Fred. Hoyt Axton, who had starred in The Black Stallion, drifted into the ensemble cast of We're No Angels. The credits list what followed, not why.
Where it left its mark
The film’s influence stretches far beyond its own runtime. It is widely believed to have inspired a wave of unrelated movies featuring small monsters, including Ghoulies, Troll, Hobgoblins, and Munchies. The cultural footprint extends into music, where the Scottish post-rock band Mogwai takes its name from the creatures, though guitarist Stuart Braithwaite admits the choice had no significant meaning. Welsh singer Rod Thomas performs under the moniker Bright Light Bright Light, a direct quote from the movie. The gremlins have also made video game appearances, notably in Lego Dimensions, where they retain their specific abilities. A sequel is scheduled for an October 2028 release.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Gremlins.
Sources
- Gremlins on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q241958 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Gremlins” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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