WWE has had mixed success trying to move from wrestling into the movies (which was an odd idea in the first place), and now they’re outdoing themselves with inexplicable plans, as WWE Studios is teaming up with Lionsgate to bring the Leprechaun series back to life, according to Variety.
The 1993 original famously starred a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston opposite a heavily made up Warwick Davis as an evil, sadistic Leprechaun who goes on a killing rampage in search of his beloved pot of gold. The cheap and cheerful horror flick was successful enough to spawn five sequels.
Despite the mixed success of WWE’s film efforts, CEO Vince McMahon apparently wants to give their studios some time to grow under new lead Michael Luisi, who was given the film division in September. Luisi says, “We have been looking for ways to continue our relationship with Lionsgate and we saw Leprechaun as the perfect opportunity to take a well-known franchise and put a modern-day spin on it. This is a property that we believe our audience will respond to and we continue to look for ways to surprise and engage them.”
Quite what wrestling has to do with Leprechauns I don’t know, but WWE apparently thinks it’s a good fit.The studios are expecting a 2013 release date.