A new Leprechaun movie is currently in development at Lionsgate with It producer Roy Lee. Commencing with the original 1993 horror-comedy Leprechaun, Star Wars and Willow actor Warwick Davis assumed the role of a homicidal leprechaun who would go to any lengths necessary to recover his stolen gold. Davis later returned for five more sequels before the role was taken over by WWE star Dylan Postl for 2014’s Leprechaun: Origins and then Linden Porco for 2018’s Leprechaun Returns.
A new report from The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Lionsgate plans to reimagine the long-running franchise with Lee producing the film under his Vertigo Entertainment banner along with Don’t Worry Darling’s, Miri Yoon. Felipe Vargas, who helmed the 2020 horror short Milk Teeth, has been tapped to direct using a script penned by Lilo & Stitch scribe Mike Van Waes. Lionsgate’s president of production Erin Westerman expressed her enthusiasm for the project, praising the creative team tasked with “bringing it back with a new vision.” Check out her comments below:
“Thirty years after its debut, this franchise still casts a spell, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it back with a new vision. Roy and Miri are two of our most trusted producers, especially with this genre, and we’re excited by Felipe’s vision for the film as a director. In his hands, this movie should be very scary and a ton of fun.”
Why The New Leprechaun Needs To Bring Back Warwick Davis
In its earlier iterations, the Leprechaun franchise benefited from never taking itself too seriously. With the original writer and director Mark Jones taking his inspiration from a Lucky Charms cereal commercial, the concept of turning a creature from Irish folklore into a slasher villain was already an ideal vehicle for comedic elements. However, Davis was ultimately responsible for taking Jones’ original plans for a straight horror film and injecting it with camp humor.
While Davis’ tenure as Lubdan Buttowski never struck a chord with critics, his version of the character would still go on to attract a cult following even as the later films began placing him in increasingly bizarre situations. This changed, however, with 2014’s reboot with Postl. Touted as a darker, more serious film than Davis’ movies, Leprechaun: Origins was lambasted by both critics and the series’ established fanbase. Though attempts were made to remedy this move with 2018’s Leprechaun Returns, Davis turned down the opportunity to return, and Porco was cast in his place.
Currently, Davis is not expected to return for Vargas’ new Leprechaun movie. However, some hope remains that the beloved Star Wars star might appear despite plans to reimagine the property. In 2018, Davis explained to Screen Rant that once his son Harrison turned 18 years old, he might return to making horror films, and with Harrison now 20 years old, the time is ripe. If Vargas can find a way to persuade Davis back to the franchise, his new Leprechaun movie would benefit from the veteran actor’s involvement.
Source: THR