Hope for a newTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie has been renewed, but after all the franchise’s failures, there’s now only one way left in which it could succeed. The trend of reboots and legacy sequels has been huge in horror, even if it hasn’t always been successful. Popular franchises likeScreamandHalloweenwere brought back through these to great success, while others, likeThe Exorcist, ended up failing. In the latter category also fallsThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but the franchise still refuses to die.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacrefranchisebegan in 1974 with the movie of the same name, directed by Tobe Hooper.The Texas Chainsaw Massacreintroduced the audience to a family of cannibals, among them Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wore a mask of human skin. Leatherface’s weapon of choice is a chainsaw, becoming part of his signature look. Despite getting mixed reviews from critics,The Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas a commercial success, spawning a franchise with nine movies so far. Now, the saga might be expanding again, but there’s only one way left for it to succeed.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Is Preparing A New Movie, But Nothing Is Set Yet
There Are Plans To Revive The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The production company Verve, which has owned the rights to theTexas Chainsaw Massacreseries since 2017, is meeting with prospective candidates for a new movie.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacresaga has had at least one movie in every decade since the 1970s, but not all of them performed well. The latest entry in theTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie series was the 2022 legacy sequel of the same name, but instead of reviving the franchise, it sunk it even deeper.Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas a critical failure, and currently holds a 30% critics' score onRotten Tomatoes, and so no more movies have been made since then – but that seems to be about to change.
According toDeadline, the production company Verve, which has owned the rights to theTexas Chainsaw Massacreseries since 2017, is meeting with prospective candidates for a new movie. Although nothing is set yet, initial reports claimed that one of the frontrunners was JT Mollner, writer and director ofStrange Darling, but he denied this onhis officialXaccount. Along with those reports about Mollner’s pitch were some that claimed Glen Powell was interested in reading his idea and potentially starring in it.
While there are no names attached toa newTexas Chainsaw Massacremovieyet, the truth is that the first steps to expanding the franchise again have been taken. Of course, whether Verve finds the right team to make aTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie or not is to be seen, but if it does happen, they really need to learn from past franchise mistakes.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Already Did Remakes, Prequels & Legacy Sequels (& Failed)
A Remake In 2003, Prequels In 2006 & 2017, & A Legacy Sequel In 2022
Since 1974, theTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie series has seen a bit of everything, and it has failed at most. Of course,The Texas Chainsaw Massacrehad its sequels, the first one in 1986, titledTexas Chainsaw Massacre 2, then another one in 1990 titledLeatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, and finally in 1995 withThe Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2got mixed reactions due to it being a lot more graphic than the first movie and for adding black comedy, though it has gained a cult following over the years.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre IIIdidn’t do well, either, and it was called “generic” and “forgettable.” Unfortunately,The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacrealso failed, and it was mostly called out for its convoluted plot, though, just likeTexas Chainsaw Massacre 2, it gained a cult following.The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas retitled in 1997 asTexas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, capitalizing on the rising star power of its lead actors: Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey.
The franchise then took a break from movies until 2003, when it came back to life with a remake. Of course, the movie made key changes to the original one, but it didn’t appeal to critics. However, it was successful enough at the box office to grant it a prequel in 2006:The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, which was a critical and commercial failure.
Leatherfacegot mixed reviews from critics, who mostly praised the cast’s performances, but was a commercial failure.
In 2013, the franchise was revived again withTexas Chainsaw 3D, a direct sequel to the first movie, pretty much doing whatHalloweenwould go on to do in 2018. Once more, the movie was a critical failure and was called a “laughable attempt” to follow up the original movie. Four years later, the saga brought another prequel, this time toThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre(1974) andTexas Chainsaw 3D, titledLeatherface. Unsurprisingly,Leatherfacegot mixed reviews from critics, who mostly praised the cast’s performances, but was a commercial failure.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movie’s Different Timelines Explained
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has one of horror’s most twisting, convoluted timelines, but the movie series can still be listed in chronological order.
The latest attempt to bring the saga back to life was in 2022, in Netflix’s legacy sequelTexas Chainsaw Massacre. The movie takes place 50 years after the events of the first movie, and brings back Sally Hardesty, though now played by Olwen Fouéré, in a small and disappointing role. Once more,Texas Chainsaw Massacrewas a critical failure. TheTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie series, then, has already unsuccessfully gone through sequels, prequels, and legacy sequels, proving that, for another attempt to succeed, it has to go on a different path.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Would Benefit From A Full Reboot
It’s The Franchise’s Last Chance To Succeed
When all else has failed, the best path (and the only one left at this point) for a newTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie is a full reboot. Unlike a remake,aTexas Chainsaw Massacrereboot would take the premise and concept of the original movie and do something newand modernized to appeal to a new audience, without losing the franchise’s essence. The only character that would have to return would obviously be Leatherface, as there truly can’t be aTexas Chainsaw Massacremovie without its legendary slasher.
This would allow the saga to create a new timeline and continuity and bring new characters, storylines, and backstories, without depending on any of the previous movies and characters. EvenLeatherface’s backstorycan be slightly different to set it apart from the rest of the movies in the saga, giving him some freshness but, again, without losing the character’s essence. At the time of writing, it’s unknown what Verve’s intention withTexas Chainsaw Massacreis, in the sense of making a sequel, prequel, remake, or reboot, but one can only hope that, whoever takes on the challenge, will learn from the saga’s past.
