The Leprechaun is coming back!
A new Leprechaun horror movie is in the works at Lionsgate, with horror veterans Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan writing the screenplay. The new movie’s plot is being kept under wraps. Oren Koules and Miles Koules will produce through their Koulest Productions banner, with Dan Heffner and Ketura Kestin executive producing.
The project gives the long-running horror franchise another chance at a comeback after Lionsgate previously attempted to develop a new Leprechaun movie a couple of years ago.
Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan Are Writing the New Leprechaun
Melton and Dunstan are no strangers to horror franchises. The pair previously teamed up on The Collector, The Collection, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Unhuman, with Dunstan directing several of their collaborations. They also have extensive experience with the Saw franchise. Melton and Dunstan co-wrote Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, and Saw 3D.
That makes their involvement particularly interesting for a Leprechaun movie, considering the franchise has always mixed horror with dark comedy and outrageous kills.
Oren Koules is also closely connected to Saw. He produced all 10 movies in the original Saw film series, which collectively earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
“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,” Koules told Deadline.
Lionsgate Previously Tried to Reboot Leprechaun
This isn’t Lionsgate’s first attempt to bring the Leprechaun franchise back. In 2023, Lionsgate announced that filmmaker Felipe Vargas was attached to direct a new Leprechaun movie from a screenplay by Mike Van Waes. Roy Lee and Miri Yoon were set to produce.
That version did not make it into production.
Now Lionsgate is taking another swing at the franchise with Melton and Dunstan.
The Leprechaun Franchise Explained
The Leprechaun franchise began in 1993 with writer-director Mark Jones’ original Leprechaun, starring Warwick Davis as the murderous, wisecracking creature. Davis would go on to play the Leprechaun in six of the franchise’s eight movies. The original film also featured Jennifer Aniston in one of her earliest movie roles, years before she became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The basic premise of the series is wonderfully simple: The Leprechaun is a murderous creature who will do just about anything to recover his pot of gold. From there, the movies have taken the character to a variety of locations, including Las Vegas, outer space, and the hood.
The franchise currently consists of eight movies released between 1993 and 2018.
Lionsgate became the owner of the Leprechaun franchise after acquiring Trimark Pictures in 2000. The most recent entry was 2018’s Leprechaun Returns, which brought the series back to its original setting and featured Linden Porco taking over the role of the Leprechaun from Warwick Davis.
The franchise has remained a cult favorite over the years, with the movies regularly receiving marathon treatment on the Syfy network around St. Patrick’s Day.
When Will the New Leprechaun Movie Be Released?
There is currently no release date for the new Leprechaun movie. The project is still in development, and details about the story, cast, director, and production schedule have not been announced.
It also remains unclear whether the new movie will continue the existing Leprechaun continuity or serve as another reboot of the franchise.
For now, all we know is that Lionsgate is developing the movie with Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan writing and Oren and Miles Koules producing. Are you glad to hear that there’s still life in this franchise? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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