The original script was much more brutal with explicit gore sequences. The producers objected to many of the scenes (one of which had a nude man being split down the middle while hung upside down) and demanded extensive changes to the script to reduce gore and violence. Further cuts had to be made to avoid an X-rating after the film was finished.
Director Jeff Burr was fired at the beginning of production. When nobody else accepted the job, he was rehired. He claims that he was probably the 50th director offered the job, as names like John McNaughton, Sir Peter Jackson, Sam Raimi, Tom Savini, Scott Spiegel, Renny Harlin, and many others had all turned it down. He also claimed that New Line forbade him from talking to Tobe Hooper but never found out why.
The film's teaser trailer was done before the film even had a director, and before the production had officially started. Kane Hodder played Leatherface in the teaser.
Kane Hodder - whose best-known role is that of another horror icon, Jason Voorhees - was the stunt coordinator for this movie. He was also R.A. Mihailoff's stunt double and played Leatherface in the trailer.