Tributes have flooded in for the veteran filmmaker.

Mark Jones has died aged 72 (Image: Variety)

Veteran filmmaker and animation writer Mark Jones has died aged 72. He was best known for directing the B-horror comedy classics Leprechaun and Rumpelstiltskin. Jones’ friend and lifelong collaborator George Saadi confirmed his death to Variety, revealing he passed on January 16 after a brief stay at West Hills hospital in Los Angeles.

Jones died just hours before his 73rd birthday. His cult classic Leprechaun was released in 1993 and starred Jennifer Aniston and Warwick Davis. The film spawned seven sequels, with the most recent installment, Leprechaun Returns, released in 2018. In 1995, he directed Rumpelstiltskin, a darker feature-length take on the classic fairy tale.

Before making a distinctive name for himself in cult cinema, Jones worked Saturday morning cartoons and went on to build a strong foundation in animation.

He sold his first script to Filmation Studios before joining DePatie–Freleng, where he wrote Mister Magoo and The Pink Panther.

Jones went on to join the iconic animation studio Hanna-Barbera, contributing as a writer and story editor to shows such as Super Friends and several Scooby-Doo productions.

His other animation writing credits include Fangface, Yogi’s Space Race, Plastic Man, Heathcliff and Mister T. Throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, Jones worked on various live-action series, including The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Riptide, The A-Team, The Fall Guy” and Superboy.
Jones was best known for directing Leprechaun, starring Jennifer Aniston and Warwick Davis (Image: IMDb)

Jones continued directing feature films in subsequent years, lending his talents to projects such as Quiet Kill (2004), Triloquist (2008) and Scorned (2013). A private memorial service is set to be held in the coming days.

Tributes have flooded in for the iconic director, with one writing on X: “Rest In Peace Mark Jones 1953-2026  I’m just crushed. Loved his work. I will always remember his kindness. I’m glad we spoke recently. Thank you for everything and giving us @WarwickADavis as The Leprechaun.”

Another penned: “Sad news. He carried that fun, mischievous energy into live-action, creating the iconic pint-sized horror star Warwick Davis. Rest in peace, Mark. Your cartoons and that wicked leprechaun keep the laughs (and shivers) coming.”

A third shared: “I had lots of awesome calls over the past year with Mark Jones about novelizations for Rumpelstiltskin and Leprechaun. He was a wonderful guy and will be missed.”