Lionsgate and WWE Studios are collaborating on a revamping of the Leprechaun horror-comedy property. The series previously gave rise to two theatrically-released films and four direct-to-video installments, starring longtime fan-favorite Warwick Davis (an alum of the Star Wars and Harry Potter franchises, and the star of Willow) as an evil killer\u2026 well, you-know-what, who murders anyone foolish enough to steal his gold.<\/p>\n
Now, let\u2019s be honest: no matter who Lionsgate ultimately attaches to write, direct, and star in what (according to Variety) the studio describes as \u201ca modern-day spin\u201d on the Leprechaun franchise, they\u2019re not exactly going to be treading on sacred ground. Even the original 1993 film (which helped launch Jennifer Aniston\u2019s career) is generally considered to be a guilty pleasure schlockfest at best \u2013 not to mention the \u201cdiminished returns\u201d on the subsequent sequels, which feature such memorably silly titles as Leprechaun 4: In Space and Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood. Suffice it to say, this property qualifies as fair game under Screen Rant\u2019s Top 5 Rules for Movie Remakes.<\/p>\n
Similarly, whereas such slasher franchises as Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and even Child\u2019s Play started off as relatively serious (before descending into the realm of usually intentional self-parody with later installments), Leprechaun has been tongue-in-cheek since its inception. For that reason, you should probably expect this particular reboot to not go for the now-customary grittier feel or more polished style \u2013 but, instead, to resemble a cheap direct-to-DVD feature with a mix of talent (or lack thereof\u2026) similar to the Piranha movies.