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Directed by Tobe Hooper, Toolbox Murders (2004) begins as a gritty urban crime tale before twisting into something far more uncanny—a claustrophobic spiral of isolation, obsession, and the creeping suspicion that you are trapped inside something sentient. At its core are Nell and Steven Barrows, a couple whose frayed marriage and emotional estrangement leave them exposed to the malignant presence lurking within their new home, the Lusman Arms. As its macabre history comes to light, the narrative shifts from a fight for survival to a more disquieting riddle: how much of the terror is the work of the killer, and how much belongs to the building itself?

Spoilers Ahead

Toolbox Murders (2004) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis: How Did Nell End Up in the Lusman Arms Nightmare?

When Nell and Steven move into the Lusman Arms, it’s not for the charm; it’s for affordability and location. Steven’s medical internship devours his time and attention.

On the tail of winning Writer of the Year at the highly regarded Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards in March, Melbourne-based horror film critic and commentator Alexandra Heller-Nicholas consolidates her position as one of the world’s leading experts in two documentaries at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff).

Alexandre O. Philippe’s Chain Reactions marks the 50th anniversary of Tobe Hooper’s 1974 American horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, winning him the award for Best Documentary on Cinema at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

Heller-Nicholas is the subject of one of the film’s five interview chapters and talks in-depth about her experience of growing up with the film in Australia. She appears alongside luminaries Stephen King, Patton Oswalt, Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, and American director Karyn Kusama. Chain Reactions has played at over 40 film festivals internationally, including the London Film Festival, Telluride, Sitges, and the Tokyo International Film Festival.

They’re Here. Again. Universal Studios Hollywood is reviving their popular 2018 Poltergeist haunted house for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Horror Nights kicks off at Universal Studios Hollywood on Thursday, September 4.

Universal’s description of the Poltergeist-inspired haunt reads, “Restless spirits have overrun the infamous house atop a cemetery from the classic film, and they’re drawn to you. You’ll be lured up into the house by the TV’s glowing whisper and cross into another world. Enter a surreal landscape, where your sense of wonder will soon shift to horror as you’re menaced by the rage-fueled Beast. Don’t get lost in the light.”

Directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist garnered critical and consumer success when it first premiered in 1982. Its Hhn house joins the already announced Hollywood houses for Fallout, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Terrifier, Jason Universe, The Horrors of the Wyatt Sicks,...

Stars: Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Andrew Bryniarski, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour, R. Lee Ermey, David Dorfman | Written by Scott Kosar | Directed by Marcus Nispel

Tobe Hooper forever changed the face of horror in 1974 with his film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It featured mixed reviews with Roger Ebert calling it a “weird, off-the-wall horror movie that’s really scary.” While The New York Times called it “despicable” and “a vile little piece of sick crap.” Whether you loved it or hated it, one thing was for sure: after watching it, you would never forget it!

In 2003, as the original horror film approached its 30th anniversary, producers Michael Bay and Mike Fleiss decided it was time to remake the film for a new generation. Now it’s hard to believe this remake is now over 20 years old, so it’s time for a UltraHD release thanks to Arrow Video.

The latest trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites has dropped, and it’s ready to freak you out. This film is the fourth, and what seems to be the final main installment in the Conjuring series. It will hit theaters on September 5, 2025. New Line Cinema released this new trailer that’s packed with creepy moments, sure to give fans chills.

Directed by Michael Chaves, who also worked on the previous movie, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Last Rites follows the famous ghost hunting couple Lorraine and Ed Warren, played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson.

The story is set in 1986 and connects to an early case from their careers. Although this movie is meant to wrap up the main Conjuring storyline, it doesn’t completely close the door on the whole franchise. Judging by the trailer, the movie has a strong 1980s horror vibe, especially reminding viewers...

“The Conjuring: Last Rites” is ready to scare you silly.

The fourth — and apparently final — film in the mainline “Conjuring” series and the first since 2021’s “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” arrives in theaters on Sept. 5. And New Line Cinema has just released a new trailer that will give you the willies. Watch it below.

In “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” which, like the previous film is directed by Michael Chaves, church-going ghost hunters Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) face a diabolical evil that is connected to an investigation from early in their career. The story, set in 1986, is meant to wrap up the mainline “Conjuring” series but not totally close the book on the franchise. And the movie, judging by the trailer, really feels like a 1980s horror movie – in particular Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s immortal “Poltergeist.”

Since the first “Conjuring” premiered...

Earlier this year, the rumor mill began churning with our favorite kind of speculation — the Glen Powell variety — mixed with our favorite genre — horror. The whispers seemed to indicate that the Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters star was on his way to getting twisted up with the remake of an iconic slasher flick from yesteryear: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. These early rumblings also indicated that Strange Darling scribe and helmer, Jt Mollner, who will soon flex his writing muscles with Francis Lawrence’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Long Walk, would be backing the reboot, setting up a match made in heaven — or, in the case of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre — hell. Mollner’s frequent collaborator and producer, Roy Lee, was also thrown into the mix of gossip, so when The Mary Sue editor and sometimes Collider writer, Rachel Leishman, spoke with the pair during the Sdcc festivities, she inquired about the killer rumors.

Horror franchises can be a goldmine for studios and theaters alike. They are typically on the inexpensive side to make and typically bring back not only a good profit but also more than enough to keep churning them out. Even straight to video franchises like what Hellraiser became or the Puppet Master and other monster collaborations from Full Moon continue to get made and sought out by fans. While we have the newer mainstays like Insidious, The Purge, and the recently up in the air Saw franchises, the classics continue to try and even pass between rights holders to get new looks. One of the most surprising franchises that somehow became a slasher mainstay has two big anniversaries this year. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is fun, and I plan to dissect that closer to Thanksgiving for its 35th anniversary but the more controversial Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is 30 now,...

The late Tobe Hooper was as authentic a filmmaker as any. Sure, everyone knows The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but why I first fell in love with Hooper was everything else he helmed on the periphery. There’s a grit, a kind of indomitable independent spirit, present in every movie he made, and it makes titles like, say, Crocodile so much more impactful and full of character than they otherwise might have been.

Hooper was, after all, a rural boy trying to make it big in Hollywood against all odds. And he did. Poltergeist was his biggest mainstream breakthrough, and that classic is assuredly, objectively the work of Hooper’s singular perspective on modern suburbia and capitalistic rot. There were no other filmmakers, especially horror filmmakers, quite like him, and his early filmography, especially, is a gold mine of surprises and earnest, gnarly art. One such title is currently trending on Prime Video.

Exclusive: Film At Lincoln Center will launch its horror film series Scary Movies next month, and titles set for the 13th edition include Alexander Ullom’s buzzy SXSW feature It Ends and a 4K restoration of Harry Kümel’s seminal Daughters of Darkness. Check out the official trailer for the season below.

Officially titled Scary Movies Xiii, the season will run at Lincoln Center from August 15 through August 21 and feature 16 titles. The season opens with Ullom’s It Ends. The film screened at SXSW and follows a group of friends who, on a late-night food run, become trapped on an infinite highway with otherworldly terrors lurking beyond. Confined in their Jeep Cherokee, they must decide whether to accept their fate or attempt escape. Also screening on opening night is Alexandre O. Philippe’s Chain Reactions, a documentary about the profound impact of Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,...

Months ago, we reported that the rights for the horror franchise The Texas Chain Saw Massacre were being eyed by several Hollywood figures, who were hungry enough to make their bid and produce a possible remake. Glen Powell and Taylor Sheridan were some of the potential buyers, with modern master of horror Osgood Perkins also showing interest. However, the process apparently met a dead end. Independent agency Verve still holds the rights to the franchise, but no one really knows if the rights have been officially sold. Perkins is now reporting that there were attempts to acquire the IP, but he doesn't know "where it stands at this point." The reboot of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre remains an idea and nothing else.

Perkins made an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con to promote his latest horror movie. Keeper, starring Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland, is being teased as one of...

A former child actor best known for his starring role as David MacLean in the 1953 science fiction classic Invaders from Mars, Jimmy Hunt has passed away at the age of 85 this week.

Jimmy Hunt was just six years old when he began his acting career, and while he retired from Hollywood by the time he turned fourteen, Hunt had already appeared in 35 movies.

Hunt once told the Los Angeles Times of his Hollywood origins at just six years old, “I was attending school about six blocks from MGM and they came there and picked some of us out, screen tested us, and I got the part. There were kids out there who wanted to be in movies, who would give their left arm to be in movies. I couldn’t dance or sing. What I had, I guess, was the all-American look everyone was looking for – freckles and curly hair.

Ryan Murphy is ready to up the ante with Season 3 of Monsterand has a warning for those out there with weak stomachs — maybe this isn’t the show for you. In a recent interview on Gavin Newsom’s podcast, This is Gavin Newsom, the series creator told the California governor that the upcoming installment, which is set to see Charlie Hunnam portray serial killer Ed Gein, “is not for the squeamish.” That warning is certainly saying something considering the first season, during which Evan Peters appeared as the notorious Jeffrey Dahmer, not only included the killer’s atrocious crimes, but also pointed to the possibility that he may have given his neighbors food made from human body parts.

For those who may not be familiar with Gein’s story, the man who would become known as “The Butcher of Plainfield” was a Wisconsin native who murdered at least two women in the 1950s.

In 1953, Roman Holiday won the Oscar for best screenplay. The statue went to Ian McLellan Hunter. The man who actually wrote it, Dalton Trumbo, was blacklisted and invisible. It would take decades for the Academy to correct the record and attach his name to the film he wrote in exile.

It wasn’t an isolated case.

In 1939, The Wizard of Oz opened with Victor Fleming’s name on the director’s slate. But at least two other directors, George Cukor and King Vidor, had shaped the film’s tone and look. They were reassigned, dismissed, or absorbed into the machinery of the studio system — their fingerprints all over the work but absent from the billing block.

Poltergeist (1982) was widely assumed to be directed by Tobe Hooper. But ask anyone who worked on it, and you’ll hear another name: Steven Spielberg. His uncredited influence shaped the film’s aesthetic and editorial decisions,...

Jimmy Hunt, the freckle-faced youngster who appeared in Pitfall, Sorry, Wrong Number, Cheaper by the Dozen, Invaders From Mars and 31 other features before he retired from acting at age 14, has died. He was 85.

Hunt suffered a heart attack six weeks ago and died Friday in a hospital in Simi Valley, his daughter-in-law Alisa Hunt told The Hollywood Reporter.

Hunt played William Gilbreth, one of the 12 offspring of an efficiency expert (Clifton Webb) and a psychologist (Myrna Loy), in Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), then returned to play another son in the family, Fred, in the sequel, Belles on the Toes (1952).

As an orphan, his character fueled the plot in The Mating of Millie (1948), a charming romantic comedy starring Evelyn Keyes and Glenn Ford, who taught him how to shoot marbles on the set. And in The Lone Hand (1953), Hunt portrayed the son of a widowed farmer (Joel McCrea) and served as...

[Editor’s note: this list was originally published in October 2022. It has since been updated with new entries.]

Slasher movies are generally considered to be among the more disreputable horror film subgenres. They can be misogynistic, punishing women for their sexuality while also appealing to viewers’ most prurient, voyeuristic impulses: celebrating the male gaze while damning the objects of that gaze except for a virginal “Final Girl.” But slasher movies can veer the closest to true-crime of any of the horror subgenres, meaning that its issues of representation often say as much about an audience that wants to consume beastly criminality as packaged narrative, as it does the filmmakers who deliver them to us.

The best slasher movies are as idea-oriented as any horror films. And almost all force you to look within and ask yourself: what’s the line between you watching a horrific act… and finally looking away?

The genre as we know it was birthed in the mid-’70s from American filmmakers like Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter,...

Although there has been growing enthusiasm for rising horror auteurs like Jordan Peele, Robert Eggers, Mike Flanagan, and Coralie Fargeat, no filmmaker has elicited quite as extreme of response as Ari Aster. While Aster’s talent was evident from some of his early, disturbing short films, his work within features has raised the threshold for upsetting content. There’s certainly an art to being transgressive for the sake of attention, but Aster has woven in delicate stories about human fragility and developed consistent working relationships with some of the industry’s finest actors. It’s far too early to judge whether Aster is the heir apparent to filmmakers like Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven, but he has earned enough name recognition that any of his upcoming projects has become an event worthy of anticipation.

Aster’s aptitude for prolonged, uncomfortable sequences that get under the audience’s skin may now...

Set in 1930s Mississippi, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners pulls liberally from the folklore surrounding that period’s explosion of blues talent in the Delta area. Musicians of the time, crushed by the weight of Jim Crow and the Great Depression, generally plied their wares in juke joints, and the film centers on one such establishment newly acquired by identical twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan), dubbed the Smokestack Twins.

The brothers fled the South as soon as they could, making their way as soldiers in the European trenches and enforcers for the Chicago mob. Now they’ve returned to Clarksdale with a lot of ill-gotten gain and even more cynicism about their travels, having found only more discrimination in ostensibly more progressive places. In coming home, they’ve chosen the devil they know.

Gathering supplies for their opening night, Smoke and Stack also source talent for their establishment from those living in the area.

The days may be getting longer, but the darkness still descends as the Vizio WatchFree+ team delivers this list of horror films available for free in July!

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (dir. Francis Ford Coppola)

Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s fiancée Mina Murray and wreak havoc in the foreign land.

Cast: Gary Oldman (The Professional), Winona Ryder (Heathers), Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs)

Daniel Isn’t Real (dir. Adam Egypt Mortimer)

A troubled college freshman, Luke, suffers a violent family trauma. He then resurrects his charismatic childhood imaginary friend Daniel to help him cope, not realizing how dangerous Daniel is.

Cast: Miles Robbins (Halloween), Patrick Schwarzenegger (The White Lotus), Sasha Lane (Utopia)

Wish Upon (dir. John R. Leonetti)

A teenage girl discovers a box that carries magic powers and a deadly price for using them.

Cast: Joey King (Bullet Train...

Prior to playing Captain Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Patrick Stewart already had a little experience with science fiction. He played Gurney Halleck in David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of "Dune," and he had a small role in Tobe Hooper's naked-space-vampire movie "Lifeforce" the following year. After "Star Trek" launched him to worldwide fame, however, he seemed to play closer attention to the genre, and he began appearing in more fantastical films. Notably, he took the role of Professor X in multiple "X-Men" movies, most recently reprising his role in 2022's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." 

During his initial "Star Trek" stint, Stewart was also very aware of what other sci-fi shows were out there. He didn't necessarily watch a lot of sci-fi TV, but he knew when something was or wasn't like "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Naturally, this came from living in the United States,...

Stephen King is one of the best people to ask about movies based on books. He’s a famous writer, and many of his stories, more than 55, have been turned into movies. Because of that, he knows what works and what doesn’t when books become films.

Some movies based on his work are really popular, like The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Misery, and The Green Mile. But King has also seen some big failures.

For example, Maximum Overdrive is often called one of the worst book-to-movie adaptations ever. Another one he didn’t like was Tobe Hooper’s The Mangler. Even The Shining, one of his most famous stories, caused him frustration because he felt the director, Stanley Kubrick, didn’t get his main character, Jack Torrance, right.

Since King has experienced both good and bad movie versions of his books, he has an interesting view on how books should be adapted.

When it comes to movies made from books, few people know more than Stephen King. He’s one of the most famous writers ever, and many of his stories have been turned into movies, over 55 adaptations, to be exact. Because of this, he’s the perfect person to say when a movie based on a book just doesn’t work.

King’s name is attached to some of the greatest films ever made. Movies like The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Misery, and The Green Mile are loved by many. But he’s also seen some real disasters on the big screen.

One example is Maximum Overdrive, which is often called one of the worst book-to-movie adaptations. Another is Tobe Hooper’s The Mangler, which King thought was a complete mess. Even one of the most famous films based on his work, The Shining, caused him some frustration because he felt...

Actor and stuntman Bob Elmore, best known for portraying the iconic Leatherface character in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, has died. Bloody Disgusting has reported on Elmore's death, but no additional details, such as a possible cause, have been revealed.

Released in 1986, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was the only sequel in the franchise to be directed by Tobe Hooper, who also helmed the original film released in 1974. The role of Leatherface, played by the late Gunnar Hansen in the first film, was taken over by Elmore, though Bill Johnson and Tom Morga also filled in for certain shots.

The sequel generated a cult following and remains a favorite for many horror fans after almost four decades. Elmore became a favorite for people to meet at fan conventions, becoming well known on the fan con circuit. The actor himself had previously expressed how he was in awe that the movie...

2025 marks the 39th anniversary of the release of director Tobe Hooper‘s sequel to his 1974 classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a sequel appropriately titled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (get it Here)… and sadly, we’ve just lost one of the film’s biggest contributors: stuntman Bob Elmore. While Bill Johnson is the primary actor credited with playing Leatherface in that movie, he had an aversion to acting out moments of violence – so whenever a scene required the chainsaw-wielding killer Leatherface to do something violent, Elmore would step in to play the character. So if you’ve ever enjoyed the performance of Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, that was due to the combined efforts of Johnson and Elmore.

Elmore’s passing was confirmed on social media by his wife, Murley Elmore, who wrote: “It is with sadness that I share the Homegoing of Leatherface, TCM2. Bob Elmore was...

Anatomy of a Revival Back in March, Deadline revealed that the intellectual property of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ was officially back on the market. Verve- the agency holding the rights since 2017- has been quietly seeking creatives to lead what it’s calling a “multimedia strategy” for the franchise. Translation: not just films, but games, series, comics, and more. The franchise’s origin is almost as grimy as the film itself. Directed by Tobe Hooper and co-written with Kim Henkel, the original 1974 film was a guerrilla effort made for $140,000 in suffocating Texas heat, starring unknown actors, and produced by Exurbia Films. It was distributed by Bryanston Distributing Company- better known for launching the X-rated ‘Deep Throat’. ‘Chainsaw’ made $31 million at the box office, but its creators famously saw almost none of it. New Line Cinema acquired distribution rights in 1983 and oversaw the franchise’s uneasy expansion: nine films, two games,...

When Steven Spielberg was still trying to find his footing as a director, he poured everything into the low-budget films he was making in the early 1970s. Most of these projects were teleplays, which he used to experiment with techniques and improve, while aiming towards a feature debut. This dream came true in 1971 with the cult classic "Duel," a frenetic story about a traveling salesman and a diabolical truck, encapsulating Spielberg's raw talent as a storyteller. The success of "Duel" put him on the map, but it wasn't enough to fund the things he wanted to work on. Although Spielberg wanted to gradually move away from making teleplays and television movies, he had no choice but to dabble in this world to garner more credibility (while having limited artistic freedom). A string of half-hearted attempts mark this period, including 1973's "Savage," which the director famously did not jive with at all,...

When Jaws became the biggest movie in the world, there was no doubt that directors and producers would take the wrong lessons. Single-handedly reviving the creature feature in popular culture, Jaws led to a series of particularly violent movies about other animals on a rampage. Below, we’ve highlighted seven of the best Jaws knock-offs and why they’re fun in their own right.

Jaws Knock-Offs to Watch 7. Mako: The Jaws of Death (1976)

Directed by William Grefe

Deciding that sharks were enough to get audiences into the theater, Mako: The Jaws of Death is one of the more blatant Jaws knock-offs in the era. However, it’s a far stranger movie than you might expect. A man not only realizes he has a telephatic connection to sharks, but he grows emotional bonds to them. When others threaten his shark friends, the man uses the sharks to eliminate the threats. Mako...

Fifty-two years ago, director Tobe Hooper and his cast and crew spent a blisteringly hot Texas summer working to bring us one of the greatest horror films ever made, the 1974 classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here)… and to celebrate the fifty-first anniversary of the release of the film, Dark Sky Films and Fathom Events are teaming up to bring it back to theatres! A 4K restoration of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be coming to the big screen on August 18th. The perfect date, since the events of the film take place on August 18, 1973.

Directed by Hooper from a script he wrote with Kim Henkel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has the following synopsis: When Sally hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin, set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed,...

The One Actor Quentin Tarantino Refuses to Work With Ever (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Quentin Tarantino doesn’t forgive or forget and certainly doesn’t fake admiration. Most actors would sell their souls or at least ditch their schedules for a chance to work with him, and why wouldn’t they? If you get on his good side, chances are he’ll bring you back for more. His films may be bloody, but his loyalty to actors is ironclad.

The Director Who Resurrects Careers & Chooses Favorites Wisely

From the moment Quentin Tarantino stitched together Reservoir Dogs with the help of Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, and Michael Madsen, a tight-knit troop began to form, one that has only grown more iconic with the likes of Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio added to the lineup.

Tarantino doesn’t just build careers but revives them. Just ask John Travolta,...

Dark Sky Films and Fathom Events are turning August 18 — the date the nightmarish events of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre occurred — into Texas Chain Saw Day.

The 4K restoration of Tobe Hooper‘s seminal horror masterpiece will return to theaters for one day only, accompanied by an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming documentary Chain Reactions.

“Few films have left such an indelible mark on the horror genre and popular culture as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” said Dark Sky Executive Vice President Justin Dipietro. “We are proud to celebrate its legacy with Fathom Entertainment and give audiences the chance to experience this landmark film together, in theaters.”

“With a 4K restoration and an exclusive new look at Chain Reactions, August 18 will be a day of celebration for fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” added Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt. “Horror has long been a staple in the wide...

If you've ever watched an episode of Amazon Prime Video's "Reacher" and wondered what its hulking hero would look like with frosted tips and a preppy polo shirt, there's a movie out there for you. It's called "The Butcher," and the 2006 low-budget slasher marked "Reache" star Alan Ritchson's first on-screen role in a film that wasn't made for television.

"The Butcher" arrived over 15 years before the model-turned-actor became known for his lovable buff guy turn in the popular adaptation of Lee Childs' action-thriller novels, and you can tell it's a product of the aughts from a mile away. Everyone is dressed like a character from "The O.C.," and in an early scene, Ritchson's Mark cracks jokes about unauthorized sex tapes and tries to film his two female friends getting frisky on his flip phone ... while driving.

In terms of its premise, "The Butcher" seems to follow the well-trodden path...

Documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe’s works have covered such subjects as fan disenchantment with George Lucas (The People vs. George Lucas), zombie culture (Doc of the Dead), Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (78/52), the original Alien (Memory: The Origins of Alien), The Exorcist (Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist), David Lynch’s obsession with The Wizard of Oz (Lynch/Oz), and the life of William Shatner (You Can Call Me Bill), so it makes sense that Philippe was the filmmaker the rights holders behind one of the greatest horror films ever made, the 1974 classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here) reached out to when they were hoping to celebrate the film’s 50th anniversary with the creation of a special new documentary. The result of their collaboration is Chain Reactions, which is currently making the festival rounds – and in anticipation of its recent screening at the Seattle International Film Festival,...

In 1974, director Tobe Hooper unleashed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre onto an unsuspecting public, and it forever changed the horror genre. Blasted by critics at the time for being nothing more than what we now call torture porn, the film has gone on to become a revered classic that was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2024. Now, a new documentary titled Chain Reactions promises to change the way you watch one of the most infamous horror movies ever made.

Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the likes of 78/52, Memory: The Origins of Alien, and The People vs. George Lucas, Chain Reactions brings together five creatives to offer their perspectives on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and how it impacted their lives. The goal, says Philippe, is to "forever change the way you watch or think about the film." Along for the ride are Stephen King,...

Documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe takes a unique approach with his upcoming documentary Chain Reactions, enlisting five celebrated artists to explore the impact of Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

As Alex Divincenzo explained in a recent festival review, “Each subject is given about 20 minutes to wax poetic about the film. Stephen King candidly discusses the film’s craft, the horror genre, and morality in art. Patton Oswalt discusses the movie and its relation to other works with equal passion and eloquence. Takashi Miike details how a formative viewing of the film impacted his later work. Film critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas provides an analysis from the perspective of a girl in Australia. Director Karyn Kusama examines the role of beauty in art.”

The goal? In Philippe’s words, to “forever change the way you watch or think about the film.”

The 103-minute documentary Chain Reactions is being screened at upcoming...

This one really flew under the radar, but an adaptation of Joe Hill's Abraham's Boys is on the way from Shudder and Rlje Films, and the first trailer and poster have now been released online.

Based on Hill's short story from his 20th Century Ghosts anthology, Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story (they were always going to get big D's name in the title) finds Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) living a secluded life far away from the horrors of his legendary vampire slaying past alongside his wife and sons.

When Abraham's wife (Jocelin Donahue) - it seems the old dog ended up marrying Mina Murray/Harker after the events of Bram Stoker's novel - begins to exhibit some very strange behaviour, Van Helsing must come clean to his sons about his history with the infamous Transylvanian Count.

According to the official synopsis: "Max and Rudy Van Helsing have spent...

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise is about to get a new home, and, according to Deadline, there may be up to eight suitors for the rights to Leatherface and the gang. As of right now, we know who five of the finalists are, and they've all got their strengths and weaknesses. Actually, that's not true. Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw are a perfect match for the material — and having lost out to Warner Bros. on "Sinners" last year, you could argue they just flat-out deserve this.

With its provocative title and promise of wanton savagery at a time when horror movies were starting to play extra rough, it took a while for word to get out that Tobe Hooper's 1974 original wasn't a gore-fest, but, rather, an intensely terrifying experience that you didn't so much watch as survive — much like its protagonist, Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), who cackles from the back...

A major franchise shake-up is in motion as studios and streamers prepare to compete for control of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. As reported by Deadline, a bidding process officially begins this week for the rights to the long-running horror property, currently shared by Exurbia Films and represented by Verve. Interest is said to be high, with up to eight parties in contention, ranging from traditional studios to prestige production banners with creative talent already attached.

The rights, which cover film, television, live events and gaming, are jointly held by the estate of Kim Henkel, co-writer of Tobe Hooper’s original 1974 classic, and producer Pat Cassidy. According to Deadline, the auction has attracted attention from a wide slate of filmmakers and producers, many of whom are proposing bold reimaginings of the Leatherface saga.

Among the most prominent names now linked to potential future projects is Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, who is...

Taylor Sheridan has created a television empire in recent years, with the Yellowstone creator’s portfolio only growing with new projects. Meanwhile, Jordan Peele has established himself as one of the most unique directorial voices, especially in the horror genre.

As a result, fans of one franchise must get really excited as the two creators lock horns over its rights. According to reports, Sheridan and Peele are set to join a bidding war over the rights to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Here is how the bidding war could forever change the $247 million franchise.

Taylor Sheridan and Jordan Peele to bid for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise started with the Tobe Hooper-directed 1974 original movie. It primarily revolves around Leatherface, who uses a chainsaw to terrorize visitors and engages in cannibalistic activities in the desolate Texas countryside.

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan (Credit: Paramount Network).

The...

Taylor Sheridan is best known for creating a slew of original programming for Paramount. However, that doesn't mean that the Yellowstone creator isn't interested in getting his hands on some iconic IP.

According to Deadline, Sheridan is reportedly interested in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre property. However, he'll have some hefty competition for the rights to the Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel-created horror franchise, which includes film, TV, live events, and games, as around half a dozen studios and/or streamers are also vying for the property. Verve, the company holding the rights to the IP since 2017, is behind the forthcoming bidding war, which will begin Monday, June 9. At this time, Sheridan, who was raised in Texas, would only serve as a producer on a future Texas Chainsaw Massacre project.

Sheridan has become a major player in Hollywood thanks to his neo-Western drama series Yellowstone, which ran for five seasons...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre could be getting a full reboot, and a new report reveals that Taylor Sheridan and Jordan Peele are in the mix to take over. Released in 1974, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre hailed from director Tobe Hooper and introduced Leatherface, a villain that has now become one of the most iconic in the horror genre. The success of the low-budget movie birthed a franchise that now consists of nine installments in total, the most recent of which, 2022's Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was released directly to Netflix, earning poor reviews.

A new report from Deadline reveals that a new take on Texas Chainsaw Massacre could be on the way. Bidding will open on Monday for the rights to the franchise, with between five and eight studios/ streamers competing. Verve, the company that has repped the rights to the franchise since 2017, is overseeing the bidding. According to the report,...

Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan is now reportedly circling an iconic horror franchise. Which would mark a serious change of pace from the neo-Western sensibilities and familial drama of his hit Paramount series and its various spin-offs as Sheridan trades in the lasso for a chainsaw...

According to a new report by Deadline’s The Dish, Taylor Sheridan is now one of the major names being eyed to take over the reins of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, following the release of the Netflix's 2022 legacy sequel effort, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which was savaged by both critics and audiences alike.

As per the report, talks regarding who will win rights to the IP “are beginning Monday as anywhere from five to eight studios and/or streamers are vying for the rights of the Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created property.” While there “are no clear frontrunners,” names said to be contention...

Exclusive: Talks for who’ll wind up with the much-prized Texas Chainsaw Massacre IP are beginning Monday as anywhere from five to eight studios and/or streamers are vying for rights of the Tobe Hooper- and Kim Henkel-created property that encompasses film, TV, live events and games.

We first told you about this beauty contest, administered by Verve, the agency having repped rights to the slasher franchise since 2017. Exurbia Films is the primary production company behind Texas Chainsaw Massacre, with Pat Cassidy, Ian Henkel and Kim Henkel as producers. The property is repped by attorney Marios Rush.

There are no clear frontrunners in the bidding, however, new creative parties have emerged with a passion for the project. Myriad notable creative entities have teamed with studios to pitch Verve and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre rightsholders on their vision for notorious killer Leatherface, who uses his chainsaw to go on a cannibalistic killing spree.

The difference between a monster and a wild animal is just a matter of perspective. Polar bears may seem cute and cuddly when seen from a distance, but you’d be screaming your lungs out if you were ever close enough to notice the dried specks of blood on their snow-white fur. Fortunately, even the deadliest predators tend to avoid human beings when given the chance, which is why genre films sometimes pair animals with equally predatory humans in order to make them seem even more dangerous.

Case in point: Sean Byrne’s latest thriller Dangerous Animals, which hits theaters this Friday, follows a surfer as she attempts to flee from a deranged man hell-bent on feeding her to his pet sharks. So, in anticipatipn, we’ve decided to come up with a list highlighting six homicidal pets in horror movies! After all, no machete can compete with a weapon...

Tobe Hooper was one of the greats. If you haven’t read it yet, allow me to recommend Poltergeist by Jacob Trussell from DieDieBooks for some profound (and heartbreaking) insights into Hooper’s late career. Fans will know that after Poltergeist, Hooper’s career stagnated. Sure, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was released a year later, but his final decades were strictly direct-to-video stuff, and it’s a shame for one of the pioneers of the modern horror genre. Prime Video is here for the rescue.

Sure, some of that direct-to-video fluff has its fans, especially 2004’s Toolbox Murders remake, but Hooper’s late filmography is largely a far cry from where he first started. Still, even working with smaller budgets and fewer resources, Hooper’s distinct, Southern Gothicism comes through, especially in what’s arguably his best late-career output. The film is now streaming on Prime Video, too. If...

Neca’s collection of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre toys grows bigger this week with a new Neca Store Exclusive that’s available for pre-order, and this one takes a unique approach.

This particular Leatherface action figure is based on the iconic original poster art for Tobe Hooper’s horror classic, wherein Leatherface’s shirt appeared to be a bluish color and his chainsaw was fully chromed out. It’s selling for $39.99, expected to ship in Quarter 3, 2025.

Neca previews, “Celebrate 50 years of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with the next figure in Neca’s Poster Series line! The classic 1974 slasher film by Tobe Hooper changed horror cinema forever, and now you can own a piece of its history with this Ultimate Leatherface action figure.

“Posed and painted to match his look on the iconic movie poster, Leatherface stands in 7-inch scale and comes with a chainsaw accessory. Neca’s Poster...

Leatherface is carving out a place in Mezco Toyz‘s 5 Points toy line.

Based on the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the retro-style figure stands 3.75″ tall and has five points of articulation.

The masked maniac is armed with his signature chainsaw that he can hold in both hands. It’s packaged on a vintage-inspired blister card.

Priced at $21.99, Leatherface is estimated to arrive in November.

Gunnar Hansen originated the role of the horror icon in Tobe Hooper‘s 1974 indelible horror masterpiece, in which five youths traveling through rural Texas fall prey to a butcher in a mask made of human skin and his cannibalistic family.

Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, and Jim Siedow also star.

The post Leatherface Carves Out a Place in Mezco’s Retro-Style Toy Line appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

If you've enjoyed running from Leatherface (or playing as him) in the tense multiplayer survival horror game The Texas Chain Saw Massacre developed by Sumo Nottingham and later Black Tower Studios, you might be saddened to learn that after the next update, there won't be any new content coming to the game.

On May 13, game publisher Gun Interactive shared a post confirming that the game will not receive any further support or content, specifically there will not be anymore "Dlc, balance updates, or bug fixes, after our upcoming May patch."

Why this decision? According to the post, the publishers feel that the game has reached its final stages and is now "fully realized."

But if you still enjoy playing the game and aren't ready to say goodbye yet, don't worry. It will still be playable for the foreeable future. Gun Interactive says it is not being delisted and will still be playable.

While I still have some fun classic sci fi stories to address coming up, I wanted to break off and take a look as well as give props to one of the more prolific yet slept-on horror authors to get adaptations. Stephen King is the all-time number 1 but there are others in the 20th century that could at least eat at the same table as him. For the younger generation, that certainly means R.L. Stine has entered the conversation and maybe we will get to an adaptation video about his recent Fear Street collection but the guy I’m thinking of is a little different. Dean Koontz is often derogatorily referred to as a poor man’s Stephen King but he has sold and made millions while having plenty of his works turned into films. While The Funhouse from Tobe Hooper will certainly be discussed at some point as I...

The year-round attraction Universal Horror Unleashed will open its doors August 14 in Las Vegas, featuring four immersive houses including The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

A new video from the team this morning previews the Texas Chain Saw Massacre attraction, which invites you inside the iconic house from Tobe Hooper’s original horror classic.

Can you survive Leatherface? What will be left of you?

Based on the 1974 masterpiece, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre haunted house will bring to life the original film for the first time in a linear sequence, placing guests in the footsteps of the victims as they face horrifying iconic scenes and characters. Their journey starts in a Texan cemetery – the first fateful stop – followed by an encounter with the Old Man at the dusty gas station featured in the chilling barbecue scene. As they enter the infamous dilapidated home, guests will come face-to-face with Leatherface and every member...

Your ex, your family, Final Destination, and Poltergeist adorn the unholy Mount Rushmore of millennial trauma. But while heartbreak and dysfunctional holidays come with a therapist’s warning, Poltergeist was slipped to us under the innocent guise of Steven Spielberg’s magic.

In a single film, we watched a little girl get sucked into the static void of a television, a mother flail in a muddy graveyard full of real skeletons, and a ghost demon explode through a closet like hell’s entrance.

For a movie that wore the Spielberg name and PG rating like a badge of honor, it delivered horror with such relentless intensity that it almost felt like betrayal.

The cultural impact of Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist is no joke…

Poltergeist landed in theaters backed by Steven Spielberg‘s blockbuster power, and it showed. It raked in millions, cracked the domestic box office top ten of 1982, and...