In the increasingly competitive world of streaming, NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock has a lot to offer. The platform doesn’t just boast a great lineup of nostalgic sitcoms, Bravo reality TV, and new movies, but also a surprisingly robust horror catalog of titles that includes everything from throwback hits like Prom Night to recent releases such as Black Phone 2. That lineup just got a little bigger with the arrival of nearly an entire cult classic horror franchise, giving subscribers the opportunity to stream them at the best time.
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If you’re looking for a fun, thematic escape for St. Patrick’s Day, Peacock has you covered. Nearly the entire Leprechaun franchise started streaming on the NBCUniversal platform on March 1st. The hilarious slasher franchise centers around Warwick Davis’ malevolent, murderous leprechaun, who uses magical powers, tricks, and Limerick-spouting violence to protect and reclaim his pot of gold. The franchise got its start back in 1993 with the Jennifer Aniston and John Sanderford-led film and has released a total of eight entries through 2018’s Leprechaun Returns, which is the only franchise entry not streaming on Peacock. That film currently only streams with a Hulu (No Ads) + Live TV subscription.
The Leprechaun Franchise Is a Campy Take on St. Patrick’s Day
When it comes to slasher franchises, the Leprechaun movies won’t rank up there with the best. In fact, every film in the eight-film library holds rotten critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes, ranging from a high of Leprechaun Returns’ 45% (which is also the only film to earn a fresh audience rating with a 70% score) to a low of Leprechaun Origins’ 0%. But that hasn’t stopped the films from cementing their place as an unhinged guilty-pleasure staple of horror-comedy that thrives on absurdity. To appreciate the franchise, you really have to embrace the unapologetic schlock and low-budget charm of the movies – and there’s plenty.
The Leprechaun franchise is really a series of so-bad-it’s-good, entertaining, and unapologetically silly horror films that are perfect, low-stakes viewing. The franchise commits to nonsense across all eight movies, relying on ridiculous plots that see the Leprechaun sent to increasingly absurd locations – a farmhouse, the “hood,” Las Vegas, and even outer space – and adhering to often arbitrary rules, like being vulnerable to four-leaf clovers. There’s also no shortage of pun-filled one-liners, cringeworthy humor, or creative, over-the-top deaths that are guaranteed to have viewers laughing. Davis also deserves a nod for his dedicated, charming, and menacing performance as the murderous, pun-spewing villain, who is without a doubt one of the most memorable and ridiculous slasher villains.
What’s New on Peacock?
Peacock has a lot to offer this March following the arrival of dozens of new movies at the start of the month. Horror fans looking for more can now also stream Friday the 13th and Friday the 13th – Part III ahead of Peacock’s Crystal Lake prequel show. Other recent film arrivals include The Big Lebowski, John Wick: Chapter 4, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Wiz.
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools.
