Every Leprechaun Horror Movie, Ranked By IMDb

In the Leprechaun films, Lubdan doesn’t appreciate it when humans steal his pot of gold. In fact, this elfen fellow with a brogue and top hat gets downright murderous in his quest to retrieve his treasure at the end of the rainbow. Whether it’s North Dakota, Las Vegas, or even outer space, Lubdan follows those who double-cross him anywhere. The first six films all feature the same actor, Warwick Jones, in the titular role; Leprechaun: Origins sees wrestler Dylan Postl taking over, and the latest film, Leprechaun Returns, stars Linden Porco.

While the Leprechaun films are far from masterpieces, these horror-comedies remain iconic because they don’t take themselves too seriously. Full of low-brow humor, bad acting, and very weird interpretations of Irish folklore, the Leprechaun franchise maintains a special place in the annals of horror movies.

8 Leprechaun: Origins (2014) – 3.0

There’s no other way to slice it: Leprechaun: Origins is a mediocre movie, even by Leprechaun standards. The reason this “prequel” of sorts is the worst in the franchise (not only at IMDb) is that it fails to follow in its predecessors’ footsteps by keeping its tone absurd, comical, and campy.

Instead, Origins tries to offer up a darker tale about a group of American backpackers lost in the middle of leprechaun country. Full of excessive exposition, not to mention a lack of laughs and scares, Origins is an all-around enjoyable experience.

7 Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997) – 3.5

Brian Trenchard-Smith, who also directed Leprechaun 3, returned for the fourth installment: In Space. The most pressing question about this film is, of course, how does the titular monster end up in space to begin with?

This is never outright answered in the film, which is set in 2096. Instead, the premise involves a captive alien princess, deep space marines coming to her rescue, Lubdan wreaking havoc on humans trying to interfere with his plans to hoard more wealth, and a lot of suspension of one’s disbelief — especially when Lubdan becomes a giant after being shot with a ray gun.

6 Leprechaun In The Hood (2000) – 3.7

Lubdan faces off against Ice-T in the franchise’s fifth, and perhaps most controversial, film: Leprechaun in the Hood. After a group of young thieves steal his magical flute, Lubdan traverses the wild streets of Los Angeles, intent upon shedding blood until he retrieves his beloved instrument.

Some critics interpret Leprechaun in the Hood as an homage to old blaxploitation films. Whatever the case, watching a demonic leprechaun rap and rhyme on screen definitely makes for a unique horror movie experience.

5 Leprechaun 6: Back 2 Tha Hood (2003) – 3.9

Lubdan returns to the ‘hood three years later for the next film, where a group of friends conspires to hold onto the Leprechaun’s pot of gold in order to make their dreams come true. Replete with the kind of racial and ethnic stereotypes that pervade the entire franchise, Back 2 Tha Hood is equal parts offensive and gruesomely goofy.

This is the entire point of the Leprechaun films, though: to be as tacky and politically incorrect as possible. One upside to this entry is the characters actually do a good job fighting back against Lubdan.

4 Leprechaun 2 (1994) – 4.6

The last of the Leprechaun films to receive a theatrical release, Leprechaun 2 was panned by critics, but it remains a fan favorite. In the film’s present, the ancient Lubdan goes around Los Angeles in search of his new bride: Bridget, who happens to be a descendant of an old Irish clan known as the O’Days.

While made on a better budget than the first film, Leprechaun 2 still suffers from being too contrived and hokey — at least according to critics. Cult fans, on the other hand, uplift it because of its kitschy tones and zany plot twists.

3 Leprechaun (1993) – 4.8

Not only does Leprechaun signal the start of Warwick Jones’s transformation into a horror icon, but it also features a performance from a young Jennifer Aniston. Written and directed by Mark Jones, who also produced Leprechaun 2, sets the first film on a North Dakota farm.

The farm’s owner, Dan O’Grady, stole a pot of gold from Lubdan while visiting Ireland ten years earlier, burying the evidence on his property. Lubdan shows up a decade later to retrieve his shiny coins, where renters (including Aniston’s character Tory) must defend themselves against the diminutive creature.

2 Leprechaun 3 (1995) – 5.0

What makes Leprechaun 3 one of the more successful films in the franchise is its setting: Las Vegas. Placing the events of this schlocky slasher in the artificial, surreal, greedy gambling capital of the world makes perfect sense.

In the film, Lubdan rampages through Sin City in search of one of his magical, wish-granting coins. A college student named Scott and his girlfriend Tammy join forces to bring the villain’s reign of terror to an end.

1 Leprechaun Returns (2018) – 5.0

By far the most well-received entry in the Leprechaun franchise, 2018’s Leprechaun Returns is still far from a “good movie” by normal standards. A direct sequel to 1993’s Leprechaun, it picks up 25-years-later, where the daughter of Jennifer Aniston’s character Tory faces off against Lubdan after inadvertently releasing him from the well her mother trapped him in.

The film doesn’t hold back from reviving Lubdan’s penchant for one-liners, executing bloody kills, and questing after his pot of gold. It also avoids the grave mistake of trying to transform the franchise into anything more than a trashy, irreverent enterprise.

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