Lionsgate is bringing back the Leprechaun horror franchise with a brand-new movie. The announcement happened after an earlier reboot attempt failed to move forward.
Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan will write the new film. The duo previously wrote Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, Saw 3D, The Collector, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Oren Koules and Miles Koules (his son) will produce through Koulest Productions, while Dan Heffner and Ketura Kestin will serve as executive producers.
Oren Koules has worked with Lionsgate for more than two decades and produced all 10 Saw movies. As reported by Deadline, he said, “After producing all the Saw films, and twenty-three wonderful years at Lionsgate, I’m thrilled to be working again with the Lionsgate team, Patrick and Marcus, and my son, Miles, on a terrifying new way into the rich world of Leprechaun.”
The new movie is Lionsgate’s second attempt to revive the franchise. A reboot announced in 2024 with director Felipe Vargas and writer Mike Van Waes was never made.
How Leprechaun became a cult horror franchise
The Leprechaun film series began in 1993 as a horror-comedy about a deadly creature protecting his pot of gold. Mark Jones wrote and directed the original film. It starred Warwick Davis as the leprechaun and featured Jennifer Aniston in one of her earliest movie roles.
The franchise later expanded to eight films, mixing slasher horror with dark comedy and unusual settings. Lionsgate took over the series after acquiring Trimark Pictures in 2000. The studio later released the 2014 reboot Leprechaun: Origins, followed by the 2018 sequel Leprechaun Returns, continuing the long-running horror series.
Over the years, Leprechaun has built a loyal fan base. Syfy even airs a marathon of the films every St. Patrick’s Day. As experienced horror writers Melton and Dunstan lead the script, Lionsgate hopes to give the cult franchise a fresh start.
Originally reported by Surya Singh on ComingSoon.net
