In not-so-surprising news, a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film is reportedly in the works. Now it hasn’t been confirmed by any studio so take the information with a grain of salt, but the recent Netflix sequel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was a reported success with over 29.2 million viewers. Naturally, it means that audiences are still into the franchise. Even though, the critical and fan reception was not too kind to the sequel.
Though there was a post-credit scene for Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there wasn’t any confirmation that another film was in the works. Until now. According to Geek Vibes Nation – which cites Daniel RPK as its source – the synopsis for the upcoming legacy sequel has been established:
“The film is set to explore the seemingly peaceful façade of Oasis Oaks, a gated community in rural Texas. Within the manicured lawns and vigilant security, a protagonist family enjoying suburban bliss becomes entangled in a harrowing battle for survival as they confront the infamous Leatherface and his macabre kin on an abandoned property nearby.”
Whether this is true or not, another Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel will come out soon as the brand is a bankable IP. Though given the poor reception of the last several films, these are the things that the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre needs to avoid.
The Same Old Formula
It’s hard to make a franchise out of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Only two films in the series have tried to switch up the formula – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II and Leatherface – and both films received mixed reviews from fans and critics. Since then, the formula has reverted to a group of young adults screaming and dying at the hands of Leatherface. There’s only so many times you can write a film of that nature without it getting bland.
The franchise has tried to dig deeper into the history of Leatherface, but even that turned out to be a bust. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre just isn’t meant to be a character-driven series as fans come to see these films for guts and gore. That doesn’t mean that a new perspective can’t be showcased. Halloween managed to shake the formula several times, and though some of those were hits and misses, it at least dared to be something bold and original. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre needs a fresh approach that honors the legacy of the series while bringing a different spin on the iconic franchise.
No More Sequel Recons
Texas Chainsaw Massacre was the second recon after Leatherface and Texas Chainsaw 3D. That means the film “erased” all of the sequels and was a direct one following the original. The timeline for this entire franchise has become confusing as the characters largely remain the same, despite the difference in actors. However, when the series started to try and restart the franchise by playing directly off of the original, the result wasn’t been great at all.
The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre just needs to make a good film. If they want to pretend that the Netflix film doesn’t exist then fine; however, please DO NOT insist that this is another sequel following the iconic first film. It’s time to start carving a new path for the series and moving on from the original cast. Leatherface is still the money maker here and there’s no denying that he’s at his best when he’s with his family because the dynamic brings out a unique character. There are only so many times you can recon a series and keep audiences invested.
Thin Characterization
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was never a series with deep and powerful characterization. Tobe Hooper did do a good job of developing some interesting characters and dynamics in the first two films, even if the latter was extremely bizarre. The key thing of note was that Leatherface was always portrayed as someone reluctant to hurt people, with his family members being the true murderous brutes. Texas Chainsaw Massacre stripping away the family aspect just made him into another generic horror villain.
The filmmakers need to find a way to give Leatherface some dimension without him simply being a run-and-slash monster villain. Texas Chainsaw 3D was an intriguing concept, but the misguided attempt to put Leatherface in the anti-hero category only further muddled the series. There’s only so much you can do to a series with a one-note premise, but there are different ways to make an iconic franchise feel fresh and modern again.
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