Synopsis

After moving into a rural North Dakota farmhouse, Tory discovers that a vengeful leprechaun has been accidentally released from the basement. The creature begins hunting for its stolen pot of gold, forcing Tory and three house painters to face a murderous supernatural enemy. Their only hope is to recover the gold and exploit the leprechaun's unusual vulnerability to four-leaf clovers.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was originally conceived as a more straightforward horror movie. Warwick Davis encouraged a more comedic approach, while later reshoots added additional gore to broaden its appeal.

• Produced for approximately $900,000, the movie became a strong commercial success, earning about $8.56 million in the United States. It was Trimark Pictures' first in-house production made for theatrical release.

• Trimark supported the release with an unusually aggressive marketing campaign that included partnerships involving the NBA and American Stock Exchange, along with promotions through individual Domino's Pizza and Subway franchisees.

• The film's theatrical success led to a sequel, Leprechaun 2, released the following year. Later entries helped turn the property into a long-running horror-comedy franchise, while the original developed a cult following.

• The pogo-stick sequence was filmed in slow motion because the stunt performer could manage only two jumps. The studio also requested insert shots that made the sequence gorier.

• Warwick Davis's work visa was reportedly expedited with help from Vice President Dan Quayle's office, which resulted in Quayle receiving a special-thanks credit. George Lucas also received special thanks after allowing Davis, who was under contract to him, to take the role.