Fans reacting to the upcoming Leprechaun reboot seem to agree on one thing: They want Warwick Davis back. Following the last entry in 2018, it was recently reported that Lionsgate is working on a new entry in the series. The plot of the upcoming film is being kept under wraps, but reactions on social media are calling for Davis’ return.
The actor played the titular Leprechaun in the first six films, starting in 1993. However, the role was later played by Dylan Postl and Linden Porco in the 2014 and 2018 installments. User @theweirdinggay on X wrote that they “don’t even care if they find an actual Irish lad willing to do this role.” They went on to suggest that the titular Leprechaun is “Warwick’s cultural appropriation role” where the actor “barely even attempts the accent.” Despite that, the user said they love him in the role.
Another user, @SirCMTusk, compared the franchise to the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise’s titular villain, Freddy Krueger. “My views on this are the same as my thoughts on Freddy without Robert,” wrote the user. “Good for fans that want more but Warwick is the only leprechaun for me.”
Why horror fans believe Warwick Davis is essential to the Leprechaun reboot
Many fans have pointed to the franchise attempting to move on from Davis but failing to do so. 2014’s Leprechaun Origins released to negative reviews, while its follow-up fared better. While the original film wasn’t a hit with critics, it managed to develop a cult following, leading to several sequels.
User@Cman710 wrote that they felt fans don’t want a new film without Davis, pointing to the failure of the recent entries. “It just doesn’t work without him,” wrote the user.
Davis will soon reprise the role of Professor Filius Flitwick in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot. He also reprised the role of Willow Ufgood in the Willow TV series, which has since been removed from Disney+.
The upcoming reboot is being written by Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan. The duo has worked on several horror films, including multiple Saw films, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Unhuman, and others. The recent announcement did not reveal who will direct the film. It remains to be seen if Davis will reprise the role.
The Leprechaun reboot currently doesn’t have a release date attached to it.