Though there has been talk for a long time about a third ‘Gremlins’ movie, it has never quite managed to materialize.

But there is movement – more targeted at the younger members of the family – on a new series that will act as a prequel to the first two movies.

‘Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai’ is an animated series coming to HBO Max and Cartoon Network next year.

This new show turns the clock back to 1920s Shanghai to explain how 10-year-old Sam Wing (who we meet when he’s much older as shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) first crosses path with a certain young Mogwai.

Sam and Gizmo will embark on a journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore.

As they attempt to return Gizmo to his family, and discover a legendary treasure, they’ll have to face a power-hungry industrialist and his ever-growing army of evil Gremlins.

(L to R) Zach Galligan, Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang have all been cast in HBO Max's 'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.'

Tze Chun is running the show for this new series, and he brought fresh news of the voice cast to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

Previously announced were Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong and Izaac Wang, to which we can now add Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei and Bowen Yang. Gizmo, meanwhile, who was previously voiced by Howie Mandel, will here be performed by AJ LoCascio.

Perhaps the biggest surprise for the panel, though, was word that Zach Galligan – who famously played Billy Peltzer, the lad whose life is turned upside down by Gizmo and the Gremlins in the 1984 original and its 1990 sequel, ‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ – is also lending his voice to the new show, but as a new character.

“I can’t say too much but because it’s 1920s China, I’m not playing Billy because he wasn’t around,” Galligan said following his surprise appearance on the panel. “So I’m playing this cool character. It was really fun and amazing to work with a new group of creative people who are taking a fresh look at the franchise and are expanding the mythology—who knows what they’re going to add. Maybe they’ll add a new transformation or a new rule we don’t know about yet… I think Gremlins fans are going to eat it up.”

Dropping hints that there are plenty of Easter eggs for film fans to find, Galligan seemed enthused about the new show. “I've been doing this a long time; it takes a lot really to surprise me. I thought it was very creative and I thought they did some interesting, very smart things, which to me is more important to being surprised,” he later told TooFab. “I think when it comes down to entertainment, the most important thing is execution. It's how well you're gonna tell it. The animation, the visual look of it is great, the voices are great and when you put it together with a good story, you're going to have a really entertaining show to watch.”

The panel also included a screening of the whole first episode, though that naturally wasn’t put online.

HBO Max has yet to announce the date for the new series.

HBO Max's 'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is scheduled for 2023.

HBO Max's 'Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is scheduled for 2023.