For movie trivia fans, the original 'Leprechaun' film in 1993 was mostly famous for one thing only: it was Jennifer Aniston's debut film role.
It's safe to say that the film - which starred Warwick Davis as an evil leprechaun, with a fair dose of paddywhackery in the mix - has not gone down as one of the all-time greats, although it is sometimes wheeled out for special screenings around St. Patrick's Day.
It has also spawned a number of sequels (including 'Leprechaun 4: in Space' and 'Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood') , and is in fact the longest-running franchise by studio Lionsgate. The most recent sequel was 2018's 'Leprechaun Returns', although Davis did not reprise his role for the last two films and is not expected to return for the new one.
Nevertheless, the untitled ninth film will be 'reimagined' for a new generation of horror fans, and will be directed by Felipe Vargas and produced by Roy Lee (who produced the 'IT' films) and Miri Yoon ('Death Wish', 'The Mother').
Lionsgate said in a statement: "Thirty years after its debut, this franchise still casts a spell, and we’re thrilled to be bringing it back with a new vision. Roy and Miri are two of our most trusted producers, especially with this genre, and we’re excited by Felipe’s vision for the film as a director. In his hands, this movie should be very scary and a ton of fun.”
