3 Things I Want to See in the Upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series
A24 has emerged victorious after a bidding battle for the rights to the Texas Chainsaw franchise. Recently they announced plans to create a Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. This will continue the trend of horror franchises being adapted for television, including Chucky, It, and the upcoming Crystal Lake series.
The history of the franchise is checkered, to say the least. The original is an immortal classic, and the first sequel has established a substantial cult following. After that, the rest of the films (there are nine total) have had mixed receptions at best, although the 2003 remake was a major box office hit.
Glen Powell is involved as a producer and JT Mollner has signed on to direct the series. The project is in early developmental stages, so few details are available about the direction that the series will take. But here are three things I’d like to see in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series.
1. The whole family
Recent TCM films, like the awful Netflix movie from 2022, have focused on just Leatherface. He is obviously the star, but Leatherface, by himself, is not nearly as entertaining as when he’s interacting with his family.
How about bringing back Chop Top from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2? I bet Bill Moseley would be up for reprising the role. A series should have plenty of room to feature other members of the cannibal family.
2. A Period Piece
A contemporary-set TCM series could be interesting, but this concept was already tried in the Netflix movie, with Leatherface getting livestreamed while going on a rampage. I think the most effective aspect of the original Texas Chainsaw was the isolation of the rural Texas settings. With modern smartphones and GPS, it’s very difficult to emulate that level of extreme remoteness.
How about setting the series in the ’70s or the ’80s? Or they could take inspiration from the plan for the It – Welcome to Derry series, which is planning to use a different time period in each season.
3. Revisiting the Themes of the Original
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been interpreted as a commentary on societal breakdown, class stratification, and nihilistic violence. Some critics have also analyzed anti-meat and animal cruelty themes in the film.
The sequels have mostly lacked subtext. They’re just gory horror flicks, which is fine, but a series could go deeper into the original’s movies themes and expand on them. This is true whether it’s a period piece or set in contemporary times, since the original movie’s themes are just as relevant (if not more) today.
Hopefully we will find out more about the series soon. Details are sparse so far. Perhaps a 2027 release date? It would be great for the franchise to finally redeem itself after so many poor sequels and prequels.
