It was officially announced in June 2023 that Felipe Vargas, director of Milk Teeth, would be taking the helm of a new Leprechaun movie at Lionsgate, with plans to reimagine the franchise for a modern audience. However, over a year later, new developments have emerged, and it seems that Vargas will no longer be directing the highly anticipated film.
Sources close to the project revealed to Bloody Disgusting that Vargas is no longer attached to direct the next installment of the Leprechaun series. While the change in direction raises questions about the film’s future, the project is still moving forward, with the new film set to be the ninth entry in the long-running franchise. The screenplay for the new Leprechaun movie has been penned by Mike Van Waes, while Roy Lee is onboard as a producer.
Since its debut in 1993, the Leprechaun franchise has become a cult favorite, with the original horror-comedy film directed by Mark Jones followed by five sequels starring Warwick Davis. The series also saw a reboot and the 2018 sequel Leprechaun Returns, in which Linden Porco took over the role of the infamous titular character, previously portrayed by Dylan Postl in Leprechaun Origins.
Despite Vargas stepping away from the project, the director had previously expressed his vision for the film to Splattercast, saying he aimed to create a Leprechaun movie that was “scary as hell and also hilarious.” He described it as a “reinvention” of the beloved series, blending horror and humor in the same vein as previous films.
While fans await more news on the Leprechaun reboot, they can catch Vargas’ latest work with his horror debut Rosario, which is scheduled for release on May 2. The film stars Emeraude Toubia (Shadowhunters) as a woman confronting a curse, with David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil) also starring.
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