San Francisco Chronicle that “The Mandalorian” breakout character Grogu (AKA Baby Yoda) is a blatant copy of his notoriously cute yet feisty creature creations. The “Gremlins” franchise began with the 1984 horror comedy that spawned a 1990 sequel, toys and collectibles, books, video games, and TV spinoffs with the main gremlin, Gizmo, serving as its adorable epicenter.