On June 9 WWE Studios released the first official trailer for Leprechaun: Origins, the seventh installment in the iconic horror-comedy series. Leprechaun: Origins will be released as VOD (video on demand) on Aug. 26, followed by a Blue-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD (plus Digital) release on Sept. 30, 2014.
Leprechaun: Origins poster. Courtesy WWE Studios.
The film is being marketed as a reboot of the original series and will notably be the first in the series not to feature Warwick Davis in a starring role. Davis is one of the most recognizable “dwarves” in Hollywood, having played a starring role in the Leprechaun films and Willow, along with supporting roles in the Harry Potter films and as an ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
So who is taking Davis’s place in Leprechaun: Origins? In a risky move, the role has been filled by Dylan Postl, better known as midget wrestler Hornswoggle. It’s another synergistic casting decision on the part of WWE Studios, as the company attempts to find feature roles for its many wrestling stars.
The last time we heard from the Leprechaun film series was back in 2003, with the release of Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood. For many horror fans Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood was so lacking that the series was thought to be left for dead. The film boasts a 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Entertainment Weekly named it the third worst sequel of all time.
It will be interesting to see if Leprechaun: Origins will be able to resurrect the series. Many fans of the franchise are furious that Warwick Davis will not be starring; other fans are wondering what is the point of this new film if the comedic elements are downplayed (as the initial trailer seems to indicate). Yet many horror fans thought Chucky was finished after Seed of Chucky, only to be surprised by a genuinely frightening sequel Curse of Chucky.
What do you think after watching the trailer for Leprechaun: Origins? Will you be watching on Aug. 26 when the film is released to VOD, or is it time to let this series fade away?
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