There have been many different writers and directors who have worked on the nine Chainsaw Massacre/Leatherface films released between 1974 and now. Some of them (like series creator Tobe Hooper) have become icons, others have gone on to have successful careers, and a few have fallen into obscurity. However, one filmmaker who almost got the reins of the franchise would’ve easily been the most controversial choice of the bunch.
One of the many movie blog “pranks” for April Fool’s Day 2026 was that A24 was making a Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot with Rob Zombie at the helm. The point was to trigger all the hardcore horror fans who are still very “traumatized” by Zombie’s 2007 remake of John Carpenter’s Halloween, and its totally wild sequel, Halloween II (2009), and hope that the filmmaker never again gets to touch a beloved horror franchise. However, Dread Central had the receipts to prove that the “prank” was referencing a very real thing that almost happened.
Apparently, after Texas Chainsaw 3D was released in 2013 and made over $47 million at the box office (on a budget of $20 million), Lionsgate decided that the film should get a direct sequel to keep the good momentum going. Rob Zombie was reportedly tapped to write that sequel, which makes sense if you think about it. Texas Chainsaw 3D was all about a long-lost member of the infamous Sawyer family coming back home and discovering her true identity and blood connection to Leatherface. The “twist” was that the girl, Heather/Edith Rose Sawyer (Alexandra Daddario), succumbed to the darkness of her bloodline and joined Leatherface.
Zombie’s Halloween films pretty much took that same arc, by throwing a twist into the lore of “Final Girl” Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton), where its revealed she’s actually “Angel Myers,” Michael’s little sister. Halloween II then dealt with Laurie/Angel being scarred by the murders of the first film, and losing her own sanity as the evil of her bloodline started to surface. So, tapping Zombie to explore a story of Edith Rose Sawyer having to deal with her new life and tutelage under Leatherface is very much a decision that tracks. Ultimately, Zombie left the Texas Chainsaw sequel during development, choosing instead to focus on his own slasher film, 31. The film only made a little over $850,000 at the box office, on a budget of $1.5 million that was largely generated through crowdfunding.
Tobey Hooper’s original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) was an act of independent filmmaking rebellion, made on a budget estimated to be around $100,000. Hooper hoped to deliver a shock to the collective psyche about all the societal evils plaguing America at the time, including mental illness, satanism, the violence and horror of Vietnam broadcast across the airwaves. Ironic then that Leatherface has become one of the most prominent and enduring icons of horror. Currently, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise will continue, with both a TV series and a legacy sequel currently in development, with actor/filmmaker Glenn Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) acting as shepherd of the franchise.
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of my favorite films,” Glenn Powell said in a press statement earlier this year. “It defined a generation of horror films and over half a century after its release, it remains one of the definitive movies of my home state. I’m honored to have Barnstorm help bring in a new chapter for such an iconic title and franchise.”
You can stream the Texas Chainsaw movies on various DSPs. Discuss all things horror with us on the ComicBook Forum!
