‘Leprechaun’ Reimagining From Director Felipe Vargas In Works At Lionsgate

‘Leprechaun’ Reimagining From Director Felipe Vargas In Works At Lionsgate

Lionsgate is on to its next pot of gold, after tapping director Felipe Vargas to helm a new film in the Leprechaun horror franchise, Deadline can confirm.

Details as to the film’s plot are under wraps, though it’s billed as a reimagining for a new generation of moviegoers. Script will be penned by Mike Van Waes, one of the writers on Disney’s new live-action Lilo & Stitch film. Vertigo’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon will produce, with Meredith Wieck and Jon Humphrey to oversee for Lionsgate, following Dan Freedman’s negotiating of deals for the studio.

Warwick Davis starred as a vengeful leprechaun in six Leprechaun films put out following Lionsgate’s acquisition of Trimark Pictures back in 2000, though he’s not expected to return. Jennifer Aniston also memorably appeared in the first title in the franchise, with the most recent entry, Leprechaun Returns, being released in 2018.

Best known to date for the short film Milk Teeth, which was the winner of both a DGA Student Film Award and an Imagen Award, Vargas will prior to Leprechaun make his feature debut with Rosario in Colombia.

Van Waes previously scripted Dear David for Lionsgate, also publishing the novel Peeves via HarperCollins.

Notable past projects from Vertigo’s Lee include the horror smash Barbarian and the It and Lego franchises, to name a few.

News of the new Leprechaun film was first reported by THR.