Tayyaba
Apparently, Lionsgate is about to test their luck once more because they’re gearing up for another search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. ‘Leprechaun’, which is easily the longest-running franchise at Lionsgate, is set to get a fresh new installment as the up-and-coming horror auteur Felipe Vargas is scheduled to direct. This fan-favorite horror comedy franchise has been dormant since 2018 after the release of ‘Leprechaun Returns’, which is why there was immediate excitement by long-term fans of ‘Leprechaun’ when the news was announced.
Who is going to be behind Leprechaun’s new installment?
The new ‘Leprechaun’ film will be written by Mike Van Waes, who just finished writing the script for Disney’s live-action of ‘Lilo and Stitch’ which is currently in production. Felipe Vargas’s horror short film ‘Milk Teeth’ garnered a lot of attention from Hollywood and now his next project seems to be the new ‘Leprechaun’ installment (as director). The president of the production for Lionsgate, Erin Westerman, has mentioned how excited he is because of “Felipe’s vision for the film as a director.
In his hands, this movie should be very scary and a ton of fun.” Aside from this, Warwick Davis who played the leprechaun himself in all the films except for the last two, is again not expected to return for this one. Roy Lee and Miri Yoon from Vertigo Entertainment are going to be the producers while Meredith Wieck and Jon Humphrey will be responsible for overseeing production for Lionsgate.
“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.”
Erin Westerman
How did the ‘Leprechaun franchise begin?
Leprechaun came from a low-budget home entertainment producer which was called Trimark Pictures. The first movie came out in 1993 with Warwick Davis as the star and became notable for featuring Jennifer Aniston in her film debut. The franchise spanned three decades and became a part of Lionsgate in 2000 when the company acquired Trimark. The low-budget cult series became something that predates many popular franchises such as ‘The Hunger Games’, ‘John Wick’ and ‘Saw’. The ‘Leprechaun’ films have shown enduring popularity and a marathon is run every year on St. Patrick’s day by Syfy Network where many people tune in to watch these nostalgic series.