Equal parts gory horror and almost slapstick comedy, the Leprechaun series has all the pieces in place to make a return. Following a string of success stories for the horror genre at the box office in recent years, Lionsgate has opted to resurrect the classic series to work its way back into the equation.
This doesn’t look to be some slap-dash reboot on paper, either. Veterans of the genre have been brought in to write and produce the upcoming flick derived from Irish lore. So, what is it about the Leprechaun franchise that makes it worth resurrecting for the studio, and what pitfalls does it need to avoid again to have a shot at success?
Finding the Fun and the Horror in the Folklore
The premise of the first Leprechaun is pretty straightforward: what would actually happen if the mythical creature you stole from really wanted its gold back? The beasts of folklore, leprechauns included, are often depicted as capricious, so it’d make sense for this sudden rage to overcome a quite powerful creature were it to be wronged.
That lends the films their horror side, padding the fairy with sharp claws, speed, and daggered teeth within its ancient, gnarly face. However, leprechauns are diminutive, dress rather boldly, and are obsessed with hoarding their shiny coins. While the situations remain serious for the characters, audiences can have fun with the imagery.
Both sides of the Leprechaun formula distort the long-held depictions of the mythical creature. In popular online games like Slingo Rainbow Riches, the more traditional showing is upheld. The cheeky little critter is good to find, and following them through the different features is the path to their pot of gold and the game’s top payout.
Of course, the leprechaun, their pot of gold, the rainbow, and several other additions to the Irish aesthetic are seen as lucky. Meeting Warwick Davis’ character in the films seldom leads to any good luck. Even so, there’s fun to be had for the audience along the way, with timely moments of levity, be it a line or a shot, welcomed in the original.
A New Crew to Reboot Leprechaun a Third Time
Leprechaun spanned six instalments from 1993 to 2003 with Warwick Davis in the suit, finishing with Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood. Since then, two attempts at a reboot have been made. The first was the 2014 Leprechaun: Origins from WWE Studios, of all places, and then Syfy’s attempt with Leprechaun Returns in 2018.
The most recent attempt wasn’t anywhere near as tired, uninspired, and stuffed with key-jangling references as the 2020s trend of legacy remakes, reboots, prequels, sequels, and mid-quels, but still, it didn’t quite strike the right chords. To try to give this next go of a reboot a shot at success, Lionsgate is turning to some trusted creatives.
As reported by Deadline, the new Leprechaun film will be written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, who wrote the Feast trilogy, The Collector, Saw IV to Saw 3D, Piranha 3D, The Collection, and most recently, Unhuman. There’s a fair mix of gore-laden horror and cheekier writing choices mixed into their co-written films.
Overseeing it all will be Koulest Productions. Oren Koules of the production company worked as the producer on all ten Saw movies, making him a trusted name in the genre for Lionsgate. Combined, this core team has the experience to create quite horrifying set pieces and understand where sequences are funny enough to highlight.
It’ll likely be another year or so before the ninth Leprechaun is released, and it’s then that we’ll see if it manages to bring back the charm of the original run or will be tossed onto the pile of 2020s reboot slop.