texas-chainsaw-massacre-slice

A few months ago the news hit that the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film would be called Leatherface and would be a prequel to Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic Texas Chain Saw Massacre (I will always remind people that some films in the franchise combine the words "chain" and "saw) and a prequel to last year’s Texas Chainsaw 3D.  And now the film has found its directors in Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the French duo best known for helming Inside and Livid.

To me this is ultimately good news because it at least sounds like they're aiming for something new. Stylistically this will most certainly not be a retread of  Texas Chainsaw 3D, which had a great opening weekend at the box office before dropping off somewhat drastically.  It feels like producers Carl Mazzocone and executive producers Christa Campbell and Lati Grobman are cognizant of the issues that sank that film and are taking steps to rectify some of them.  I'm also hearing good things about the script by Seth M. Sherwood.  Head inside for more on Maury and Bustillo directing Leatherface.

texas-chainsaw-massacre-1974

Bloody-Disgusting broke the news. While I would have been equally happy with prior contenders Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer (who directed Starry Eyes, one of my favorite horror films of the year), the important thing is to get this franchise out of aesthetic stagnation, and I'm optimistic that it's on its way.

Here's the current longline for the script:

In this prequel to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” a young nurse is kidnapped by four violent teens who escape from a mental hospital and take her on a road trip from hell. Pursued by an equally deranged lawman out for revenge, one of these teens is destined for tragedy and horrors that will destroy his mind; molding him into the monster we now call Leatherface.

Sounds like an interesting concept, at this point the franchise continuity is so scattered I don't mind if they play jazz with it a little.  As long as they handle it well, I'm in.