Mark Jones, the writer and director best known for the cult horror-comedy Leprechaun, has died at the age of 72. Jones passed away on Friday, January 16, 2026, at West Hills Hospital in Los Angeles after a brief stay. His death was confirmed by his longtime friend and collaborator, George Saadi. Jones would have turned 73 on Saturday, January 17.
Jones had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry, starting in animation before moving into television and film. He wrote and story edited for numerous popular TV shows, including Scooby-Doo, The A-Team, Knight Rider, and Superboy. Stephen J. Cannell brought Jones onto his creative staff, where he wrote and story-edited episodes of The A-Team. Jones also developed live-action series, produced episodes of Knight Rider, and served as showrunner for the syndicated series Superboy.
In 1993, Jones wrote and directed Leprechaun, a horror-comedy film that starred Jennifer Aniston in her first feature film role. Jones fought the studio to cast Aniston. Despite initially negative reviews, the film became a cult classic and spawned a long-running franchise of six sequels and a reboot. Jones recalled in a 2023 interview that he created the film because he believed a low-budget horror movie would be the easiest way to break into directing. Jones also admitted he was offered a large amount of money to sell the script and step back from directing, but he declined the offer to retain creative control.
Following the success of Leprechaun, Jones continued to direct and write feature films, including Rumpelstiltskin, Quiet Kill, Triloquist, and Scorned. In recent years, Jones was a regular contributor on "The Scott Baio Podcast".
Tributes have begun to pour in after news of Jones's passing circulated. Scott Baio wrote on Twitter, "Mark was a truly kind and gentle soul who loved animals and cared deeply about the people around him...I will miss him more than words can say". Chris Jones shared via Youtube, “RIP Mark Jones 1.16.26 🙁 Our hearts & prayers go out to your family and friends. You will forever be a legend and real-life hero. :(".
A private memorial service is planned. Jones is remembered as a talented writer, director, and a kind and gentle soul.
