Lionsgate has begun work on a new film in the cult horror-comedy franchise "Leprechaun," according to Deadline. The outlet reports the new movie will likely serve as a reboot of the series.
Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, known for the "Saw," "Final Destination," "Feast" and "The Collector" franchises, will write the screenplay. No director has been attached yet. The story is expected to again center on a vengeful leprechaun obsessed with recovering his stolen gold.
The original film's legacy
The original "Leprechaun," directed by Mark Jones ("Leprechaun," "Sinners"), was released in 1993 and starred Warwick Davis ("Willow"). Jennifer Aniston ("Friends") co-starred in what was her feature film debut.
Made on a budget of $900,000, the film earned more than $8.5 million at the box office, including $2.5 million in its opening weekend. Critics were largely negative, but audiences responded far more warmly, reflected in the film's lasting popularity on home video.
Seven sequels followed, including installments that sent the character to space and to a ghetto to face rapper Ice-T. The most recent entries, "Leprechaun: Origins" (2013) and "Leprechaun Returns" (2018), received mixed reviews, and Davis did not appear in either.
