Leprechaun Franchise Rumored to Be Getting Another Reboot

While it was never a major financial or critical success, 1993's Leprechaun has earned a passionate following over the years, with Bloody Disgusting recently reporting that their sources claim Lionsgate is actively seeking pitches for a revival of the concept. Given that these reports claim the studio is seeking pitches, it would seem like any number of narrative avenues could potentially be explored in a new installment if the studio decides to move forward, with the latest entry being 2018's Leprechaun Returns. Back in 2014, the concept also earned somewhat of a revival with the prequel reboot Leprechaun Origins.

The original film sees the supernatural leprechaun (Warwick Davis) seeking vengeance against a family he believes has stolen his pot of gold. While the first sequel in the series also earned a theatrical release, subsequent sequels were released straight to video, up through 2003's Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood.

Leprechaun Origins attempted to reinvent the concept, replacing the wise-cracking figure with a more monstrous creature, which earned a limited theatrical release. Leprechaun Returns aimed to channel the success of the original films, serving as a direct sequel to the debut installment, featuring Linden Porco in the title role.

Arguably the biggest hurdle with the overall franchise is the appeal ignited by the overall tone, as its excitement is generally derived from its campy nature over its thrills, gore, or humor. While the formula was understandably replicated relatively easily throughout the '90s, Lionsgate would likely have to offer a new approach to the material in hopes of bringing the character back from the dead.

If fans had their way, they'd likely want the series to land in Spiral: From the Book of Saw director Darren Lynn Bousman's hands, as he's been championing for such an opportunity for years.

"They do not take me seriously about it, I think they think I'm f-cking with them, so much so that I had a friends and family screening the Wednesday before [Spiral] came out and one of the execs walked over to me and said, 'Are you f-cking with us? Are you serious?'" Bousman shared with ComicBook.com last year about Lionsgate's reaction to his passion for Leprechaun. "I was like, 'How many more times do I have to say it, I started talking about it during Saw II. I was 24 years old, now I'm 42, and I'm still f-cking talking about it. That is the longest-running joke in the world if I'm joking.' No, I absolutely want to do the Leprechaun franchise, and since I've been saying it, they've redone it four times without me. You know what, I don't know what to say at this point, there's only so many times you can beg."

Stay tuned for updates on the future of the Leprechaun franchise.

Would you like to see the franchise revived? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!