Lionsgate Developing Brand-New Leprechaun Movie with Saw Writers
The Leprechaun is preparing to return once again.
Deadline reports that Lionsgate has officially begun development on a brand-new Leprechaun movie, marking the first new big-screen outing for the long-running horror franchise since 2018. While story details remain tightly under wraps, the studio has brought in genre veterans Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan to write the screenplay.
The writing duo are no strangers to horror fans. Alongside their work on Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI and Saw 3D, Melton and Dunstan also created The Collector franchise and have built a reputation for mixing inventive horror concepts with brutal suspense. Their involvement suggests Lionsgate is looking to give one of its oldest horror properties a fresh new direction.
Producing the film are Oren Koules and Miles Koules through their Koulest Productions banner. Oren Koules, who helped produce the hugely successful Saw franchise, expressed his excitement about returning to Lionsgate with another iconic horror property.
“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.”
Exactly what that “new way” looks like remains a mystery, with Lionsgate keeping plot details firmly under wraps.
The original Leprechaun arrived in 1993, introducing audiences to the wisecracking, gold-obsessed killer played memorably by Warwick Davis. Directed by Mark Jones, the film has become a cult favourite, thanks to its blend of supernatural horror, dark humour and increasingly outrageous kills. It also famously featured one of Jennifer Aniston’s earliest film roles before she became a household name through Friends.
The success of the original spawned one of horror’s most unusual franchises. Warwick Davis returned for Leprechaun 2 (1994), Leprechaun 3 (1995), Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997), Leprechaun in the Hood (2000) and Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003), with each sequel embracing increasingly bizarre settings while maintaining the character’s trademark blend of comedy and carnage.
After a lengthy hiatus, WWE Studios attempted to reinvent the series with Leprechaun: Origins in 2014. Rather than leaning into the mischievous personality established by Warwick Davis, the reboot transformed the character into a more feral creature portrayed by wrestler Dylan Postl (Hornswoggle). The darker approach divided fans and failed to launch a new era for the franchise.
Lionsgate instead opted to return to its roots with Leprechaun Returns in 2018. Serving as a direct sequel to the 1993 original while ignoring the previous sequels, the film brought back Mark Holton as Ozzie Jones, although Linden Porco inherited the role of the Leprechaun following Warwick Davis’ departure from the series.
New Leprechaun for a New Era in Horror
This latest announcement isn’t the first attempt to revive the property in recent years. Filmmaker Felipe Vargas had previously been attached to direct a new Leprechaun film for Lionsgate, but it was confirmed last year that version of the project would no longer be moving forward.
Now, with Melton and Dunstan writing and experienced horror producer Oren Koules on board, Lionsgate appears ready to take another shot at reviving one of horror’s longest-running villains.
No director, cast or release date has been announced, but after nearly a decade away from cinemas, the Leprechaun looks set to make another bid for his stolen gold—and another trail of bodies along the way.
As more details emerge, horror fans will be watching closely to see whether Lionsgate embraces the franchise’s campy roots, leans into darker horror, or finds a balance between the two. One thing is certain: the Leprechaun isn’t done granting deadly wishes just yet. Check out the Leprechaun profile in our Hall of Killers.
