Back in October, we were delighted to announce that a new installment of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise was in the works for 2021. Now, the title of this new film has been revealed — not to mention its rating.
According to Bloody Disgusting, Leatherface’s return will be dubbed Texas Chainsaw Massacre — without the ‘The,’ it seems — and will be rated ‘R’ for “Strong bloody horror violence and gore, and language.” Because Lord knows, when you’re watching a cannibal maniac wearing someone else’s face cut off a teenager’s legs with a chainsaw, you don’t want to be surprised by potty mouth.
The film will follow the 2018 Halloween formula by being a direct sequel to Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic, with Alice Krige (Star Trek: First Contact‘s Borg Queen, Gretel & Hansel’s witch) set to play the original’s heroine Sally Hardesty. Directing the movie is David Blue Garcia (Tejano), with Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe) producing.
In October, Legendary Pictures launched a new website for the franchise, where users were told to turn their sound on, at which point the high-pitched keening noise which opens the original film can be heard. Also included is a poster with the following caption: “In 1974, the world witnessed one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history. In 2021, the face of madness returns.”
One heavy metal star who owes more than can be expressed in words to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is Rob Zombie, whose debut film House of 1,000 Corpses and its central family the Fireflies are heavily influenced by the movie. In 2017, the shock rocker paid homage to Tobe Hooper’s vision in Rolling Stone around the time of Hooper’s death.
“To call The Texas Chain Saw Massacre a ‘slasher film’ or ‘just’ a horror movie is an insult at best,” wrote Zombie. “It is a film that stands side by side with some of the best films of its time – one every bit as powerful as Taxi Driver, Jaws, A Clockwork Orange and The Godfather. It is a true classic. Some people say that you’re only as good as your last project. That’s complete nonsense: Art has no timeline or expiration date. And for that reason, Tobe Hooper now resides along side the greats of cinema history.”
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Words by Chris Krovatin
