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A few months ago, it was revealed that Legendary Pictures, the company behind the 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre film that was released through the Netflix streaming service, had let their rights to make new films in the franchise lapse, so Verve, which currently represents the rights, are looking to “build out a multimedia strategy” for the franchise, with filmmakers, producers, and buyers looking to get involved. It was said that writer/director Jt Mollner (Strange Darling) and producer Roy Lee (It) were among the interested parties, teaming up with A24 for a TV series pitch that has actor Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) hoping to read the script. But A24 / Mollner / Lee had some serious competition. A couple of months ago, we heard that five to eight studios and/or streamers were seeking the rights, with names in the mix including Jordan Peele’s company Monkeypaw, Osgood Perkins and Neon, and even Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan!

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,...

Leatherface is a very popular guy. A few months ago, it was revealed that Legendary Pictures, the company behind the 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre film that was released through the Netflix streaming service, had let their rights to make new films in the franchise lapse, so Verve, which currently represents the rights, are looking to “build out a multimedia strategy” for the franchise, with filmmakers, producers, and buyers looking to get involved. It was said that writer/director Jt Mollner (Strange Darling) and producer Roy Lee (It) were among the interested parties, with actor Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) hoping to read the script if the project ended up in Mollner’s hands. Mollner quickly distanced himself from the whole thing, but was apparently still in the running… and he had some serious competition. A couple of months ago, we heard that five to eight studios and/or streamers were seeking the rights,...

Last month, it was reported that Longlegs director Osgood Perkins is among the heavy hitters interested in tackling the next installment in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.

During Neon’s The Next Wave of Horror panel at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, a fan asked if Perkins would cast a neurodivergent actor as Leatherface since many viewers read the character as being on the autism spectrum… if, of course, he’s actually involved in the next installment.

“My producing partners and I, we went down a path with Texas Chainsaw. To be honest with you, I don’t know what’s happening with it, but we were certainly in the conversation for it,” Perkins noted, indicating he’s not (yet) officially attached to the franchise.

“What’s lovely about these people who own the rights — it’s the original writer [Kim Henkel] — is that they really care about Leatherface.”

Osgood Perkins continues,...

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...

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,...

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,...

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,...

The seismic shifts in the post-pandemic movie industry are undeniable, and Hollywood is adjusting its compass. The era of effortlessly smashing the $500 million global box office barrier with every big-budget blockbuster appears to be fading. This challenging new environment is prompting many studios to reconsider their slate, reportedly pulling back on the greenlighting of costly summer tentpole films.

In their place, a clear strategic pivot is emerging: a renewed focus on more affordable horror films. This genre consistently proves its worth, delivering robust returns on a smaller investment. The success of this approach is already evident, with a wave of iconic horror franchises being revitalized. We've recently seen triumphant "requels" and fresh installments breathe new life into series like Final Destination, Scream, and Saw.

And the horror resurgence shows no signs of slowing down as projects like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Friday the 13th, and The Exorcist are all actively in development,...

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 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...

Leatherface is a very popular guy. A few months ago, it was revealed that Legendary Pictures, the company behind the 2022 Texas Chainsaw Massacre film that was released through the Netflix streaming service, had let their rights to make new films in the franchise lapse, so Verve, which currently represents the rights, are looking to “build out a multimedia strategy” for the franchise, with filmmakers, producers, and buyers looking to get involved. It was said that writer/director Jt Mollner (Strange Darling) and producer Roy Lee (It) were among the interested parties, with actor Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) hoping to read the script if the project ended up in Mollner’s hands. Mollner quickly distanced himself from the whole thing, but apparently he is still in the running… and he has some serious competition. Deadline reports that five to eight studios and/or streamers are seeking the rights, with names...

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.

After making The Blackcoat’s Daughter, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel, filmmaker Osgood Perkins joined forces with the production and distribution company Neon to bring his fourth film, Longlegs into the world. That film was a major success, earning $128 million at the worldwide box office on a budget of less than $10 million, making it Neon’s highest-grossing release – and by the time it was released, Perkins and Neon were already working on their next collaboration, the Stephen King adaptation The Monkey. That one wasn’t as successful as Longlegs, but it still did well, and earlier this month, Perkins and his producing partner Chris Ferguson launched their production banner Phobos with backing from Neon, signing a first-look deal with the company. Deadline reported that, “under the first-look deal, Neon will house films that Perkins writes and directs, as well as those he produces for other filmmakers.

The chainsaw may have gathered dust, but Leatherface is far from done. Verve, the agency representing the rights to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise since 2017, is reportedly at the centre of a bidding frenzy as Hollywood circles one of horror’s most enduring properties.

Now over 50 years since Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel unleashed their low-budget terror classic onto unsuspecting audiences, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is once again primed for a return to the screen. This time, however, it’s not just another sequel on the cards, but a potential franchise overhaul—and all eyes are on the players vying to take the reins.

One such contender is Strange Darling director Jt Mollner, fresh off the success of his critically acclaimed cat-and-mouse thriller, which has quietly grossed $3 million and earned a rare 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. Mollner is reportedly interested in tackling a new Chainsaw instalment, with buzz growing around a potential collaboration with Glen Powell,...

It’s now been three years since Netflix premiered Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a “legacy sequel” to Tobe Hooper’s original horror classic that arrived on February 18, 2022. Now, fresh rumors have begun to swirl that the franchise may be revving back to life for a new installment.

Deadline reports today that studios are knocking at Verve’s door; the agency has repped the rights for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series since 2017. While nothing has been officially set in motion just yet, the names showing interest in the IP have us intrigued.

The outlet reveals that Strange Darling filmmaker Jt Mollner and producer Roy Lee are at the forefront of the conversation around reviving the franchise, with in-demand actor Glen Powell, star of the upcoming Running Man reboot, interested in reading Mollner’s script for a possible star vehicle and producing role. Lionsgate and A24 are also reportedly said to be eyeing the IP for new features.

Another longstanding intellectual property’s rights have hit the market, drawing up major interest from producers and studios.

The day after it was revealed that WME was shopping the rights to Jason Bourne and titles from the Robert Ludlum estate comes word that the rights to venerated horror franchise The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are also available.

And while there is significant amount of interest from several parties, it’s quite in early in the process to determine who is involved and where it will land. But the participation of some bold-faced names — Texas’ favorite golden boy Glen Powell, anyone? — has some talking about a “free for all.”

Legendary Pictures had held the rights to the property since 2017 and made a movie in 2022 that streamed on Netflix. A sequel never materialized, despite hopes. The IP returned to the rights holders – Exurbia Films, which is run by Pat Cassidy, the original movie’s co-screenwriter Kim Henkel,...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise could be getting yet another reboot. Deadline reports that Verve, who currently represents the rights, have studios and filmmakers eager to pitch a new take on the iconic horror franchise.

“Verve represents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre estate and is building out a multimedia strategy for the seminal horror franchise,” said a Verve representative in a statement to Deadline. “Verve has not officially submitted the property into any filmmakers, producers, or buyers. Because this is such a hot and iconic horror property, packages are preemptively being brought to Verve.“

According to Deadline’s report, writer/director Jt Mollner (Strange Darling) and producer Roy Lee (It) are among the interested parties. One intriguing tidbit is that once Mollner puts his script together, Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) is reportedly keen to read it, with an eye towards starring in and producing the project. Lionsgate, A24, and Neon are also in the mix.

Exclusive: Studios and filmmakers are knocking on Verve’s door as the agency is sitting on bloody good IP that they’re looking to take on the town: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Verve has repped the rights for the slasher series created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel since 2017.

At a time when horror and franchises are really the only surefire bets at the post-Covid and strike-impacted box office, the 51-year-old horror property about a chainsaw-wielding serial killer still has potential to make a killing.

One of the parties, we hear, showing interest in reviving Texas Chainsaw Massacre is filmmaker/scribe Jt Mollner and producer Roy Lee, hot off Strange Darling, their $3 million-grossing, 96% certified Rotten Tomatoes cult hit. If Mollner gets a script together, word is that Glen Powell would like to read it. It’s very early days on this; no contracts or attachments as of yet, and the...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's Leatherface, played by Gunnar Hansen, continues to terrify audiences. Interestingly, even the biggest names in horror weren't immune to his presence when the actor made his debut as the chainsaw-wielding character.

In a new clip from Dinner With Leatherface (via the JoBlo Horror YouTube channel), Friday the 13th franchise star Kane Hodder, best known for playing Jason Voorhees in four Friday the 13th films,recalled the impact that Hansen’s performance had on him as a horror actor. "I was so impressed that an actor could scare the s**t out of me without speaking or using his face," he said. "I was so impressed that [he] could do that. And sure enough, years later, I'm trying to do the exact same thing."

RelatedDinner with Leatherface Trailer Spotlights Horror Icon Gunnar Hansen

A new doc explores the origins of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the man behind the legend,...

The horror film genre has been a source of entertainment in the film world for more than a century. Originating in the 1890s, it has evolved numerous times throughout history and often reflects societal sentiments stemming from world events. As time has progressed, horror has reinterpreted fear and grief through intense imagery, subtly instilling new anxieties in the audience.

Occasionally, a film emerges that redefines the entire genre. It could create a new subgenre or simply produce a landmark film that sets the standard for all that follows. Amidst the vast array of horror films, here are some of the most influential titles in the genre.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Took on a Subtle, Yet Brutal Approach to Anxiety and Visceral Violence IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows a group of easy-going teens on a road trip when their fun journey takes a turn for the worse. They stumble...

2024 marked the 50th anniversary of director Tobe Hooper’s classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here), and the celebration is continuing into 2025, as Anchor Bay is set to give Dinner with Leatherface, a documentary that looks at the life, career, and legacy of original Leatherface actor Gunnar Hansen, a Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release on February 25th. With that date coming up next Tuesday, we’ve gotten our hands on an Exclusive clip from the documentary, and you can check it out in the embed above!

JoBlo’s own Tyler Nichols had the chance to watch Dinner with Leatherface last month and gave it an 8/10 review that can be read at This Link.

Director Michael Kallio provided the following statement: “I want to show the person Gunnar really was. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty man of so many talents. And he was a complete gentleman who embraced all...

As of this writing, there have been nine film in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. Tobe Hooper's 1974 original, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," remains one of the best horror films of all time, dredging the audiences through violence and filth that has rarely been matched on the big screen. Hooper's film feels dingy and oily, and if it was made and edited by the cannibal hillbillies it features. 

The many sequels are of dubious canonical value. The series features multiple reboots and reshaping of the continuity, with at least three that restart/reboot the franchise, or that serve as direct sequels to the original. Only the central concept remains: In the wilds of rural Texas, a remote Sawyer clan has been cut off from civilization, relying on cannibalism (and possibly incest) to survive, and a group of unsuspecting cityfolk drive through the Sawyer family's property and are attacked,...

The newly relaunched Anchor Bay Entertainment will be releasing the new documentary Dinner with Leatherface, which looks at the life, legacy, and career of the late horror icon Gunnar Hansen. It’s headed to Digital and physical media on February 25, 2025.

Courtesy of Arrow in the Head, slice into the Dinner with Leatherface official trailer below.

You can pre-order your Blu-ray copy through Amazon now.

Late horror legend Gunnar Hansen is best known for his portrayal of the terrifying, chainsaw-wielding Leatherface in the classic horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).

Directed by Michael Kallio (Mutant Swinger From Mars, Heart of Dorkness: Behind the Scenes of ‘My Name is Bruce’), the documentary will feature interviews with several of Hansen’s friends and colleagues, including fellow actors Bruce Campbell, Barbara Crampton, Kane Hodder, and Brian O’Halloran. The film will also include many in-depth interviews with his co-stars from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,...

2024 marked the 50th anniversary of director Tobe Hooper’s classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it Here), and the celebration is continuing into 2025, as Anchor Bay is set to give Dinner with Leatherface, a documentary that looks at the life, career, and legacy of original Leatherface actor Gunnar Hansen, a Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release on February 25th. With that release date right around the corner, we have an Exclusive look at the documentary’s trailer, which you can check out in the embed above!

Director Michael Kallio provided the following statement: “I want to show the person Gunnar really was. He was an incredibly intelligent, witty man of so many talents. And he was a complete gentleman who embraced all the love he received from his adoring fans. He meant so much to so many people. This film is really a tribute to him… a great friend that I miss every single day.

When Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon's genre-bending movie The Cabin In the Woods came out in 2011, it wowed critics with its clever story about a secret organization that places unwitting victims in stereotypical horror film scenarios. This post-modern take on tired tropes earned the film universal praise, but a much-maligned horror sequel from 1994 was actually the first to use this idea. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation may seem like a standard slasher movie, but its real villain is a secret society conducting an experiment in terror.

Slasher franchises are often accused of being repetitive, a fact that The Cabin In the Woods satirizes with its syndicate that deliberately orchestrates horror clichés. Meanwhile, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation appears to play by the rules as it slowly reveals that Leatherface is merely the employee of an Illuminati-like authority that studies human fear. This same twist ending was...

The National Film Registry entries are a cause for celebration among film lovers every year, when the Library of Congress selects 25 new films to be preserved for their artistic, historical, or cultural value. Public choices influence the selection, as well as criteria that doesn't extend to the whims of the moment the way awards such as the Oscars do. It often leads to interesting and notable choices in genres that often get overlooked until well after the fact.

2024 includes a particularly notable entry in that department: Tobe Hooper's masterpiece The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It isn't the first time the National Film Registry has honored a horror movie -- previous inductees have included the likes of John Carpenter's Halloween and Wes Craven's A Nightmare on Elm Street, among others -- but Texas Chain Saw has always suffered a stigma for being grindhouse exploitation. Its placement in the National...

Tobe Hooper's 1974 gut-wrenching horror classic "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" is not based on a real story, despite what the film's marketing might have you believe. There was no Texan serial murderer nicknamed Leatherface, nor was there ever a real-life family of backwoods cannibals named the Sawyers. Indeed, even within the mythology of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," it's hard to keep the facts straight, as the series has been rebooted multiple times. As of this writing, there have been nine films in the "Texas Chainsaw" franchise, and at least four of them are reboots, re-imaginings, or prequels.

To briefly recap, "Texas Chain Saw" follows a quintet of teens who are traveling in a van through a more remote area of Texas, looking for the gravesite of two travelers' grandfather. They pick up a mad hitchhiker (Edwin Neal) who threatens them with a razor and cuts himself. The quintet...

A new trailer offers a glimpse into the life of the unforgettable actor from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Gunnar Hansen, who created one of horror’s most famous characters: Leatherface.

A first look at Dinner with Leatherface, a documentary from Anchor Bay Entertainment, has been unveiled by Collider, promising a goldmine of content for horror fans everywhere. The film includes powerful interviews from genre icons like Bruce Campbell (Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy and Spider-Man trilogy), Brian O’Halloran (Clerks trilogy), among many others. Dinner with Leatherface was directed by filmmaker Michael Kallio. The trailer for the film can be viewed on the Collider website, and the official poster can be seen below.

Related Recent Horror Hit With 87% Rotten Tomatoes Score Lands on Prime Video

A horror prequel that found success in movie theaters this year is now on Prime Video.

What is Dinner With Leatherface About?

The documentary not...

Fifty-one 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 fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film, Neca is releasing new action figures of the Leatherface and Hitchhiker characters! These action figures won’t actually make their way onto collectors’ shelves until May 2025, but they’re available for pre-order through Entertainment Earth and Big Bad Toy Store.

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, murderous outcasts living next door.

Note: This article was originally published in October 2020, and has been updated to include Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022).

With Run The Series, The A.V. Club examines film franchises, studying how they change and evolve with each new installment.

A truly successful horror movie will take an ordinary object or everyday activity...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"I remember the screams in the theater. People walked out. But the audience that stayed was hooked." Those are the words of Gunnar Hansen, the man behind Leatherface, writing in his book "Chain Saw Confidential" about how audiences reacted to director Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" in 1974. Hooper, for his part, had become bored with the horror genre and " set out as a fan of the genre to do something that gave you [...] your money's worth," as he put it in an interview with NPR in 2017. Safe to say, mission accomplished.

50 years later, Hooper's feature directorial debut is one of the most celebrated horror films in cinema history. It's also one of the movies that indie filmmakers look to...

One of the most notorious aspects of Tobe Hooper's 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is that, despite its lurid title, premise, and tagline ("Who will survive and what will be left of them?"), the kills in the iconic proto-slasher are delivered with little to no special effects, blood, or gore. However, in spite of, or in fact because of this, the movie has not lost one ounce of its brutality and power in the 50 years since its original release.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Director Tobe HooperRelease Date October 11, 1974Writers Kim Henkel, Tobe HooperCast Edwin Neal, Teri McMinn, William Vail, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger, Marilyn BurnsRating RRuntime 83 minutesGenres HorrorMain Genre Horror Buy on Apple TV+Rent on Apple TV+Buy on Apple TV+Rent on Apple TV+Buy on Apple TV+Rent on Apple TV+Buy on Apple TV+Rent on Apple TV+Buy on Apple...

Fifty-one 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 fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film, Dark Sky Films is bringing it back to theatres this October! The fiftieth anniversary re-release trailer, which was created by Mark Woollen, can be seen in the embed above. To find out if The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be showing near you, and to secure tickets to showings, head over to the Dark Sky website.

Update: The 50th anniversary of the film is also being celebrated in Austin, Texas, with the city’s Mayor, Kirk Watson, issuing a proclamation that has declared October 11th to be Texas Chainsaw Massacre Day! A press release invites fans to “join actors from the...

Tobe Hooper’s terrifying 1974 slasher remains one of the most effective and masterly horror films ever made

The next time you see The Texas Chain Saw Massacre – and if you haven’t seen it, brace yourself accordingly – close your eyes for the first five or 10 minutes and listen, preferably with a good set of headphones. Because as extraordinary and unforgettable as so many of the images are, the soul of the film comes through on the soundtrack, which unsettles you on several different fronts at once. And now 50 years later, when it’s rightly placed on the shortest of shortlists for the greatest horror films ever made, the film’s ambience still blankets American culture, the low hum (and occasional random shriek) of media malevolence.

The first voice belongs, incredibly, to future star John Larroquette, who narrates the opening scroll with newsreel gravitas. “The film which you are about to...

Five decades after terrifying filmgoers for the first time, Leatherface is heading back to the big screen. In honor of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, the iconic horror film is getting a special re-release for the spooky holiday season.

In October, a 4K restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre previously supervised by late director Tobe Hooper will be screening in theaters. It will mark a great opportunity for horror fans who may have never seen the film on a big screen before to experience the influential movie in an all-new way. For the first time in 50 years, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has also been given an all-new trailer to promote the re-release. The video, along with a new poster made for the re-release, can be seen below.

Related This Horror Reboot With 20% on Rotten Tomatoes Is Actually One of the Best in Its...

The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre video game from Gun Interactive was just released for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One last year, and the developers have been keeping a steady flow of updates coming ever since. Last month, we learned that a new game mode called Rush Week would be part of a Content Pass will go on sale for the price of $19.99 on September 26th – and now a trailer for that game mode has been unveiled! You can check it out in the embed above.

The game’s developers provided the following information on the new game mode: Rush Week takes its inspiration from the late 70’s Giallo-inspired Slasher films. The love for that subgenre of cinema gives you a clearer vision for the horror film that you can cast yourself in with this 1v6 multiplayer mode. Taking place after the events of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,...

You used to hear the refrain from horror film fanatics with a lot more frequency – the original was so much scarier.

And while this is still true to some degree (the films of John Carpenter have been remade with an oddly uniform lousiness), there are still plenty of horror films that have been remade well. Sometimes the remakes are just as good as the original. In rare cases, it even surpasses the original.

Here is our definitive list of the very best horror remakes ever.

(United Artists) “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978)

Don Siegel’s 1956 classic “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is based on Jack Finney’s story “The Body Snatchers,” which was serialized in Collier’s in 1954 and published as a novel shortly after, has been remade several times over the years. But the very best iteration is still the 1978 version, the first since Siegel’s, from director Philip Kaufman and writer W.D. Richter.

Poster for the 2024 Beyond Fest

82 feature films will screen during the 2024 Beyond Fest, taking place September 25 through October 9 in Los Angeles. Among the offerings will be the West Coast premieres of Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist, Sean Baker’s Anora, Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice, Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch, and Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3.

The 12th edition of the festival kicks off with the world premiere of Salem’s Lot, directed by Gary Dauberman and based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel. Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cloud is this year’s closing night film. Plus, the genre festival hosts a reunion of Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and director Jan de Bont in honor of the 30th anniversary of Speed.

“Combining a celebration of cinema whilst firmly focusing our gaze on the next generation of filmmakers has always been at the heart of the Beyond Fest,” stated Head of Programming Evrim Ersoy. “And...

Beyond Fest 2024 announced today its complete, insanely packed slate of programming comprising 82 features, including 16 World Premieres, 4 International Premieres, 1 North American Premiere, 3 US Premieres, and 25 West Coast Premieres. Buckle up for 15 days of cinematic mayhem.

The fest returns to Los Angeles for its 12th edition spanning September 25 – October 9. Beyond Fest opens with the World Premiere of Gary Dauberman’s chilling adaptation of Stephen King’s seminal novel Salem’s Lot whilst closing night honors are bestowed upon Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cloud with the legendary Japanese auteur joining in-person to launch a 7-film retrospective.

Genre spotlight events include the World Premiere of the brand new, never-before-seen ‘Shush Cut’ of Hush with Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel in person, who also hosts the International Premiere of the 4K Restoration of Lake Mungo, Tobin Bell, Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell join to debut the restored and unrated cut of their seminal shocker, Saw, and

the...

Fourteen years after Hitchcock popularized the serial killer genre with Psycho, Tobe Hooper's 1974 masterpiece, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, broke onto the scene, and many consider it one of the most terrifying horror films of all time. After a difficult shoot and fraught distribution process, the film became an all-around miracle of filmmaking and spawned a franchise that would go on to include three direct sequels, a 2003 remake (produced by Michael Bay of Transformers fame), a prequel to the remake, and two "reboots" of the original franchise. The iconic chainsaw-wielding slasher of the film, Leatherface, sits alongside Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers as one of the most popular horror movie characters of all time. And, despite the violence of the films at the hands of Leatherface, kids still wear his mask on Halloween.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre depicts a group of five young adults on a road trip that gets...

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise's most polarizing installment has landed on a major streaming platform, now available to stream on Peacock. Starring Mathew McConaughey and Rene Zellweger on the cusp of stardom, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation debuted in 1995.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation is now available to stream on Peacock. Written, co-produced, and directed by Kim Henkel, the film, originally titled The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, is the fourth installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The plot follows four teenagers who encounter Leatherface and his murderous family in Backwoods, Texas, on the night of their prom. McConaughey stars in the movie as Vilmer, a sadistic tow truck driver in league with Leatherface. He delivers a fittingly manic performance in the film. Zellweger also gave a strong performance as the main protagonist, Jenny.

Related 'Our Favorite Funniest People': What We Do in the Shadows...

Alexandra O. Philippe’s Chain Reactions is an extraordinary documentary about an extraordinary film. With contributions from comedian Patton Oswalt, writers Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Stephen King, plus filmmakers Takashi Miike and Karyn Kusama, it examines the legacy of Tobe Hooper’s 1974 shocker The Texas Chain Saw Massacre through a series of very personal and revealing interviews. Written by Hooper and Kim Henkel, two Texas students, the original film finds five teenagers coming unstuck when a road trip takes them to the Sawyer house, the bone-strewn home to chainsaw-wielding maniac Leatherface (so named for horrifically obvious reasons) and his inbred cannibal family.

Philippe’s thoughtful, reflexive style has developed a lot since his breakout film The People vs. George Lucas (2010), a meditation on Star Wars fandom. In 2017 he released 78/52, an intensive study of the shower scene in Psycho, which he followed in 2019 with Memory: The Origins of Alien, a deep...

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was a milestone in horror and a pioneer of the slasher subgenre. Key creatives recall the film's hectic development and their approaches to its controversial concept.

Screenwriter Kim Henkel recalled shooting The Texas Chain Saw Massacre "as if it were almost a reality show," and the aesthetic is evident in retrospect. The film that established many slasher tropes celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, marked by a reunion of its main creatives. In an interview with IndieWire, Henkel confirmed the 1974 flick was a commentary on the zeitgeist. "We were very much a product of our times, which was the late '60s, early '70s, and all of the things that were going on then," he said. "We were reading Marshall McLuhan and watching films like Blow Up and Medium Cool. Cinema Verite was very much on our minds. It lends itself to horror."

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Despite being banned from theaters at its initial 1974 release for its shocking violence, Tobe Hooper’s “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” remains among the most influential horror films in history — and one that’s inspired countless remakes, sequels, spinoffs, and imitators.

Hooper, who would later direct the cult series “Salem’s Lot” (1979) and the ’80s phenomenon “Poltergeist” (1982), was a documentary cinematographer and an assistant film director at the University of Texas-Austin in the early ’70s. Co-written by Kim Henkel, “Texas Chain Saw” was remarkably only his sophomore feature following his 1969 psychedelic debut “Eggshells,” which Henkel also co-wrote and starred in.

In “Texas Chain Saw,” Sally (Marilyn Burns), her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), and their friends go on a doomed road trip in Texas County. On their way to Sally and Franklin’s family slaughterhouse, the journey goes off course when a hitchhiker splatters blood on their Rv, and masked serial...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Tobe Hooper’s horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Dark Sky Films continues their year-long celebration by bringing an appropriately themed barbecue food truck to Sdcc this weekend.

Dark Sky Films continues a series of year-long fan events by partnering with local BBQ food truck operator Up In Smoke BBQ to create an official popup homage to the film’s iconic “We Slaughter Barbecue” roadside store at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, the world’s largest pop culture event in the US. The food truck will be located in Comic Con’s Petco Park Interactive Zone, a no-badge-required event area across from the San Diego Convention Center.

Offering a bespoke menu of Texas Chain Saw Massacre victim-inspired offerings, each food purchased will come with a San Diego Comic Con-exclusive collectible button. Limited quantities available.

Event Details:

The Texas Chain...

For as long as there have been films, there have been filmmakers attempting to enhance the theatrical experience through the use of gimmicks. From the red-eyed skeletons of William Castle to the “odorama” cards of John Waters’ Polyester, gimmicks are the puns of the filmmaking world: memorable and effective in small quantities, but annoying when overused.

That’s why I get why so many people reject 3D cinema. After all, modern theater screens ended up becoming oversaturated with lazily post-converted cash-grabs rather than movies that were shot on actual stereoscopic cameras. However, having just recently fixed my own aging 3D TV and binge-watched dozens of gimmicky genre films, I’m pleased to say that there are a surprising number of fun 3D experiences beyond the usual suspects.

With that in mind, here’s a list recommending six underrated horror movies that were shot in 3D!

As usual, don’t forget...

Engulfing audiences in a cinematic world where the line between reality and make-believe become blurred is the stuff movies are made of -- but what happens when the movie becomes so visceral, we start to question its truthfulness?

Horror films in particular can walk that fine line of clever filmmaking and creating an unsettling, nagging feeling that what we're watching is someone's actual terror. Many of these films use the pseudo-documentary/mockumentary style to disarm audiences, conflating a typically non-fiction setup with entirely fictional elements. Meanwhile, others rely on crafty marketing campaigns to stir up curiosity, suspicion, controversy, or all of the above. Whether a movie informs audiences that the story ahead of them is based on true events or the director opts for frenetic handheld camerawork, there are some movies executed so well that movie-goers will debate their authenticity long after the credits roll.

A subgenre that has existed for decades,...

Fifty-one 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 fiftieth anniversary of the release of the film, Dark Sky Films has unveiled a new poster, along with a line of hats and shirts! You can see images of these items at the bottom of this article, and can make a purchase at This Link.

It should be noted that if you want a copy of the poster, you’ll need to grab it fast. It’s a very limited edition, with only 200 being printed. The poster is going for the price of $35, while the hats and shirts are $30 each.

Directed by Hooper from a script he wrote with Kim Henkel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has the following...