To celebrate St Patrick’s Day on Friday 17th March, join The Reaper for a jig to the end of the rainbow as we find a pot of gold and revisit the LEPRECHAUN franchise!
Spoiler alert…
Warwick Davis’ lil Oirish fecker got going in the original film back in 1993, as a luckless fella steals the Leprechaun’s gold and takes it back to America – unaware the green fella has followed him to the States. Following a stroke (told you that guy was luckless), the Leprechaun is sealed in a crate for 10 years until he’s accidentally released by Jennifer Aniston (!)
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed…
The very next year, LEPRECHAUN 2 (1994) has our main man searching for a bride in Los Angeles, and wouldn’t you know it – this girl’s boyfriend has stolen one of the Leprechaun’s gold coins! Said boyfriend defeats said Leprechaun by impaling him on a wrought iron spike! This was the last time the series went theatrical…
LEPRECHAUN 3 (1995) starts with our anti-hero having already been turned into a statue by a magic medallion (!!), then being sold to a Las Vegas pawn shop. As soon as that medallion is taken off, the Leprechaun is back!
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed…
Paving the way for JASON X, 1997 saw the release of LEPRECHAUN 4: IN SPACE. He’s got the horn again, abducting and working his magic on an alien princess. He’s blown up by space marines (JASON X!) and is then reborn (JASON X!) by exploding out of a man’s groin (JAS… oh).
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed… the heroes turn him into a giant with a space ray and then eject him out of the airlock!
From space to Compton for LEPRECHAUN IN THE HOOD (2000), with our lil fella turned to stone and Mack Daddy O’Nassus (Ice T!) using the Leprechaun’s magic flute (!) to become a successful music producer. A trio of rappers release the tiny terror, nick the flute and the gold and we’re off to the races.
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed…
Warwick Davis’ swansong came in 2003 with LEPRECHAUN: BACK 2 THA HOOD, which features a four-leaf clover laced with holy water! Teens find the gold and go nuts with it, releasing the Leprechaun from the ground.
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed…
LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS (2014) is very different, it’s actually set in Ireland! It features a whole new creature design, no one-liners and the idea of Irish people sacrificing tourists to this beast. Dark!
Finally, we have LEPRECHAUN RETURNS (2018) which does that thing of being a direct sequel to the first film and ignoring the rest. Our lead is the daughter of Jennifer Aniston’s character, who has died after spending most of her life terrified of the green fella’s return. The house from the original is back, this time as a sorority house full of lovely victims. When the Leprechaun is freed, he’s none too happy.
He proceeds to go on a kill spree in search of his gold before seemingly being destroyed…
And there we have it!
So, just how many LEPRECHAUN movies are there?
EIGHT!
Now, just because it features Warwick Davis, one of the best bits of TV comedy ever: