Mark Jones, Director Of Cult Horror Classic Leprechaun, Dies At 72

Filmmaker Mark Jones, best remembered for bringing the mischievous horror icon Leprechaun to life, has passed away. The veteran director and animation writer died on January 16 in Los Angeles following

a brief stay at West Hills Hospital. He was 72.

Jones’ death was confirmed to Variety by his friend and longtime collaborator George Saadi. He was just hours away from turning 73 on January 17.

Jones carved a unique space for himself in cult cinema with Leprechaun (1992), a B-horror comedy that went on to become a pop-culture staple. The film starred Warwick Davis in the titular role and featured Jennifer Aniston in one of her earliest screen appearances. Its popularity led to seven sequels, with Leprechaun Returns releasing in 2018.

Beyond the franchise, Jones also directed Rumpelstiltskin (1995), a darker feature-length take on the classic fairy tale, and NightMan (1997), a made-for-TV film about a musician struck by lightning who gains the ability to detect evil through sound frequencies.

Long before entering the horror genre, Jones built a strong foundation in animation. He sold his first script to Filmation Studios and later worked with DePatie–Freleng Enterprises, writing for beloved characters like Mister Magoo and The Pink Panther. His animation career continued at Hanna-Barbera, where he served as a writer and story editor on projects including Super Friends and several Scooby-Doo titles.

His animation credits also included Fangface, Yogi’s Space Race, Plastic Man, Heathcliff and Mister T.

Jones later transitioned into live-action television, contributing to popular shows such as The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Riptide, The A-Team, The Fall Guy and Superboy. In the years that followed, he continued directing feature films, including Quiet Kill (2004), Triloquist (2008) and Scorned (2013).

A private memorial service is expected to be held in the coming days.