Ranking the Leprechaun Movies

The Leprechaun Franchise has had it’s ups and downs. None of the movies are particularly “good” from a perspective of storytelling and cinematics. But most of them have been pretty damn fun. In the spirit of St Patrick’s Day, I thought I’d rank the franchise, moving from worst to best.

8. Leprechaun Origins (2014)
Yes, this movie is technically part of the franchise, though none of it feels that way. No Warwick Davis. No witty rhymes. Hell, barely any leprechaun shown at all. When you do see the leprechaun, fun fact, he’s played by WWE superstar Hornswoggle. It was originally meant to be a reboot of the series, but poor performance made them abandon the project after this one. Go ahead and skip it.

7. Leprechaun 2 (1994)
The follow-up to the original is one of the worst in the franchise. The wit isn’t as funny, the acting from the non-leprechaun characters is horrible, and it introduces lore that doesn’t get used anywhere else in the series. It’s bad. REAL bad.

6. Leprechaun: Back 2 Tha Hood (2003)
The first “hood” movie is one you’ll see higher on this list. That movie is an all-timer in the franchise. This one? Not so much. Where it loses points most is it’s lack of originality. It still has some decent kills. But maintains zero of the charm of the original “hood” entry.

5. Leprechaun 4: In Space (1996)
This is one of those movies that’s so incredibly bad, it becomes fun. This is the “Jason X” of the Leprechaun franchise, and I think it works about to the same effect. Stupid, but enjoyable.

4. Leprechaun (1994)
This is one of those cases where the original isn’t the best. It’s good, but not as strong as a few later entries. It sets the tone for the franchise, and that’s where I give it the most props. The reason it’s not ranked higher is because Warwick Davis hasn’t yet fully leaned into the character and all of his quirks we’d come to know and love. But still a solid start.

3. Leprechaun 3 (1995)
After Leprechaun 2 almost derailed the series, 3 brings it back into form. The Vegas setting was a perfect choice, and by now, Warwick Davis has fully leaned into the character traits we love. The acting from the non-leprechaun characters is still pretty bad, and the sub-plot where the main character is becoming a leprechaun himself is a bit goofy. But the witty, rhyme based humor made it deliciously unhinged. The kills are creative and it’s everything you want from a comedy horror. I wish I could rank it higher, but I can’t.

2. Leprechaun Returns (2018)
I feel REALLY weird placing this one near the top as it’s one of two movies in the series without our beloved Warwick Davis. But Linden Porco and Mark Holton (who played Ozzie in the original) take up the mantle perfectly. This is the only movie on this list that is both good, and actually feels like a horror movie. Porco and Holton move slightly away from the humorous side of the leprechaun and makes him more menacing. He still has some witty jokes, but this version’s leprechaun is mean and brutal. The movie isn’t without it’s flaws, but for a reboot, it’s among the best.

1. Leprechaun in the Hood (2000)
When I first heard of this movie, I thought it’d be even worse than the “Space” entry that came out 4 years earlier. Boy was I ever wrong. This is peak Warwick Davis leprechaun fun. It’s as if the crew took everything we loved about the series, and packed it all into one truly unhinged festival of ridiculousness. It’s one of those movies I wish I could watch for the first time again.

I do not own the rights to a portion of the cover photo. I’m merely using it for the interest of criticism and commentary under fair use.