Alongside the likes of Puppet Master, Leprechaun sparked one of the horror genre’s most notable video store era franchises – and one of its last. Fortunately, there are still new movies being made today, and now fans can learn how to watch the Leprechaun movies in order with the following guide. It can be quite useful as the sequels tend to land all over continuity-wise.
The original film, aptly-titled Leprechaun, hit theaters in 1993. It was followed by one more theatrical sequel, Leprechaun 2, in 1994. The following four films were straight-to-video sequels when, in 2014, a stand-alone reboot was released titled Leprechaun: Origins. Another sequel was then released in 2018 titled Leprechaun Returns.
As such, we’ll first gloss over the original release order of the Leprechaun movies, and then discuss the different continuities that exist to see how to watch the Leprechaun movies in order. Outside of the release order, however, we’ll be excluding Leprechaun: Origins which really does stand on its own and has nothing to do with the other films starring Warwick Davis or Linden Porco as the titular character.
Leprechaun Movies in Order (Release)
- Leprechaun (1993)
- Leprechaun 2 (1994)
- Leprechaun 3 (1995)
- Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)
- Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)
- Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003)
- Leprechaun: Origins (2014)
- Leprechaun Returns (2018)
It’s worth noting that even while chronologically watching the Leprechaun movies in order, the original continuity doesn’t line up very well. Even Leprechaun in the Hood and Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood are two separate narratives. However, fans have theorized that each film in the series simply follows a different leprechaun. Of course, just with each one played by Warwick Davis. That is, however, until Leprechaun Returns revisits the leprechaun from the original film as discussed in the next list. Additionally, fans should pay attention to the gradual flow of these films, as they mark interesting transitions in Lionsgate’s history. Specifically, how Trimark Pictures distributed the original two films, before Vidmark Entertainment handled Leprechaun 3, Leprechaun 4: In Space, and then back to Trimark Pictures for Leprechaun in the Hood. Lionsgate Home Entertainment took over for Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood and has handled the franchise ever since. Though they did collaborate with WWE Studios for Leprechaun: Origins and Syfy (similar to Critters Attack!) for Leprechaun Returns.
Leprechaun Movies in Order (Original Chronological Order)
- Leprechaun (1993)
- Leprechaun 2 (1994)
- Leprechaun 3 (1995)
- Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)
- Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood (2003)
- Leprechaun 4: In Space (1997)
Now, as mentioned, Leprechaun Returns brings us back to the storyline established in the original movie. Unfortunately, Warwick Davis declined to reprise his role. Fans instead see Linden Porco play the titular character. With a new makeup design and slightly different performance, however, having Porco take over makes sense. It also offers closure considering the original film always teased a very specific sequel that we never got until 2018.
Leprechaun Movies in Order (New Continuity)
- Leprechaun (1993)
- Leprechaun Returns (2018)
The different continues give fans a choice of six stand-alone installments with Warwick Davis, a more consistent two-film narrative with Davis and Porco, or a stand-alone reboot if you need your Leprechaun movies dark and overly serious. Fortunately, that just about offers something for everyone, so horror fans should definitely do themselves a favor and try out the Leprechaun series. There’s bound to be one installment you connect with – if not a whole continuity’s worth. There are plans to produce a new installment in the long-running franchise as well. For now, though, it’s unclear how progress has been going. Felipe Vargas was tapped by Lionsgate to tackle the new film but he ultimately left the project. Fans have been hopeful that Warwick Davis will return for whatever comes next – but that also seems unclear.
On the bright side, he gave a terrific performance across six different iterations, all of which shine a different light on the character. It’s a true video store era legacy – one that fans will no doubt be keeping alive with new home video releases and streaming options. Now this list will make things even easier for those who want to watch the Leprechaun movies in order. Likewise, there are plenty of other horror franchises with little monsters that are worth exploring. If fans enjoy Leprechaun, perhaps the Ghoulies franchise will be to your liking as well.
