An '80s Cult Horror-Comedy Becomes a Global Streaming Hit on HBO Max

A Christmas gift gone wrong turns into a creature-filled nightmare in this beloved '80s classic

There was a time when horror movies weren't afraid to get a little weird. The 1980s gave us everything from the surreal nightmares of A Nightmare on Elm Street to the gooey, creature-filled chaos of The Blob. It was an era when filmmakers could mix practical-effects gore, genuinely unsettling monsters, and a healthy dose of absurdity without worrying too much about fitting into a single genre.

There's one 80s classic that perfectly toed the horror-comedy line — it's part Christmas fantasy, part creature-feature nightmare, and part pitch-black comedy. It's the kind of movie that can make you laugh one minute and recoil in disgust the next, and it's trending right now on streaming.

Gremlins, Joe Dante's 1984 horror comedy, remains a masterclass in balancing laughs with genuine scares. More than four decades later, its mischievous monsters are still just as entertaining, and the film is finding an audience on HBO Max. It's ranked third on the platform's top movies chart, according to FlixPatrol.

What is Gremlins about?

Gremlins follows Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan), a young man who receives an unusual Christmas present from his father: a small, furry creature called a Mogwai. Billy names his new pet Gizmo, but caring for the adorable little creature comes with three important rules: keep it away from bright light, never let it touch water, and never feed it after midnight.

Naturally, things don't go according to plan.

When those rules are broken, Billy's quiet hometown of Kingston Falls finds itself overrun by mischievous, destructive creatures that turn an otherwise peaceful Christmas into a full-blown nightmare. What follows is a chaotic blend of slapstick comedy and creature-feature horror.

The original film's success spawned a sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, released in 1990. Directed by Dante and featuring Galligan and Cates returning to their roles, the follow-up takes the chaos into a high-tech Manhattan skyscraper, where the creatures wreak havoc on an even more ridiculous scale. The sequel is also streaming on HBO Max if you're up for a Gremlins double-feature.

The franchise also expanded with Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, a 2023 animated prequel series that explores Gizmo's origins and the early adventures of Sam Wing in 1920s Shanghai. The series ran for two seasons, offering fans a new look at the mythology behind the mischievous creatures. You can stream Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai on HBO Max as well.

Fans also have a third live-action movie to look forward to, although they'll have to wait a little longer than expected. Gremlins 3 is now scheduled to hit theaters on October 6, 2028, after Warner Bros. pushed it back from its original November 2027 release date. The first teaser offers a brief glimpse of Gizmo peeking out of a backpack, while Chris Columbus, who wrote the original film, is set to direct the new installment. Plot details and casting have yet to be announced.