Though the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre (yes, that’s how the title was spelt) is a classic in the horror genre, none of the following sequels, reboots or prequels have been very good. The franchise currently boasts 7 films, and as those who’ve seen them all can tell you, each one changed things up a bit, and not for the better. The result has been a tonally inconsistent and often ridiculed series of movies, with each one being worse than the last – for the most part.
Despite this, the producers aren’t giving up and sensing that there’s still a fanbase out there for Tobe Hooper’s iconic slasher flick that started it all, they’re now bringing us Leatherface. Set to be a prequel to the original, the project has been sitting on the shelf for a while now, having been shot back in 2015. It’s been some time since we’ve heard a status update on it, too, but today, there’s some promising news, as we’re learning that it will tear its way into theatres this October (an exact date hasn’t been set yet).
While we don’t want to judge a book by its cover, it’s probably fair to say that the signs aren’t too promising here. After all, when a film is delayed for this long, it usually means that it’s a mess, pure garbage, or both. Given that the studio has been sitting on Leatherface for some time now, and considering the franchise’s track record, it’s hard to have confidence that this prequel will do much to redeem the titular character.
Picking up the infamous chainsaw and mask this time around will be Sam Strike, the British actor best known for his appearance on BBC’s soap drama, Eastenders, with Vanessa Grasse and Stephen Dorff also on board for the scarefest. The pair are set to play the young and innocent (first victim?) Lizzy and a lawman hellbent on unravelling the unspeakable evil haunting the Texas state. Beyond that, Leatherface will also star Lili Taylor as Verne Sawyer, Sam Coleman as Bud, James Bloor as Ike and Jessica Madsen as Clarice.
The studio’s bold and subversive take on the spine-chilling story is arriving only four years after the middling Texas Chainsaw 3D, and it remains to be seen whether Leatherface can exorcise the ghosts of poor box office performances and deliver a truly engaging horror story. Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo are behind the lens, with an ensemble of executive producers that includes Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, John Thompson, Mark Gill and Beth Bruckner O’Brien.
Tell us, despite how terrible the last few entries in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise were, will you still be giving this one a chance? Let us know by dropping a comment in the usual place.
