If you’re still pining for more Texas Chainsaw Massacre action after the easily forgotten Leatherface, you’re in luck, as there will most likely be another installment in the iconic horror franchise. Unfortunately, however, it’s looking like things will be rebooted once again, which is news that’s sure to disappoint fans who’ve been waiting for the series to get back on track for decades now.
After all, no horror franchise has been wronged so terribly as Texas Chainsaw. The first film was an instant classic of the slasher genre, and the second (though drastically different) had its perks, including a more wacky and hilarious story. Every installment since then, however, has been a real buzzkill (sorry). The most recent entry, the aforementioned Leatherface, was another dud, with our very own Matt Donato saying the following in his review:
This is an origin story that attempts to carve new mythos for one of horror’s mightiest legends, but ends up leaning on franchise references and bleakness to an unnecessary fault.
Ouch! Now, it looks like the series is headed back to the drawing board, as Campbell Grobman Films/Millennium Films, who were responsible for both Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D and Leatherface, have apparently lost the rights to the franchise due to how long it took to release the latter.
While the original plan was for them to make at least five new Chainsaw movies, that obviously can’t happen anymore and when Leatherface returns, it won’t be in a continuation of the story that those two aforementioned studios have been telling. Instead, it’ll likely come to us from another party and presumably, be a reboot of some sort, with whoever ends up grabbing the rights probably more interested in creating their own continuity, rather than carrying on with what’s already there.
What lies ahead for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is now very up in the air, and given the muted response to the latest film in the series, we don’t expect to hear much more about what’s next for a while. Still, we’re hopeful that someone, somewhere will one day be able to do Leatherface and the gang justice. Fingers crossed, eh?