Though the franchise hasn’t enjoyed a major success in a little over 20 years, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre may very well be coming back in the near future. Originally co-created by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper, the horror series revolving around a cannibalistic family in the titular state remains one of the genre’s most iconic properties, even if one of its poorer-received ones. After Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre kept the franchise’s negative review streak going in 2022, its future has been in an unclear place.
Now, Deadline reports that production company Verve, who have held the rights to the series since 2017, is currently meeting with prospective candidates for a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie. Though the studio noted to the publication that they have not “officially submitted” the rights to any filmmakers or producers, other sources report that one of the biggest parties currently interested in developing the next installment is Strange Darling’s JT Mollner, who is said to be working with producer Roy Lee to develop a pitch for a new installment.
While there is not currently a script or deals in place for Mollner and Lee to develop, sources also report that Glen Powell is interested in reading Mollner’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre material for the possibility of starring. Beyond the Twisters star, the report also indicates that the Strange Darling duo’s version has attracted the interest of Lionsgate and A24, while the publication also predicts that Neon will look to present a pitch with The Monkey’s Oz Perkins. A representative for Verve provided the following statement to the publication:
Verve represents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre estate and is building out a multimedia strategy for the seminal horror franchise. Verve has not officially submitted the property to any filmmakers, producers or buyers. Because this is such a hot and iconic horror property, packages are preemptively being brought to Verve.
What This Means For The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Future
It Marks An Interesting First For 1 Interested Party
While the Verve representative’s comments are clearly meant to temper expectations of how far along the reported discussions are, those being eyed for the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie mark an interesting mix of choices. To this point, Mollner has only two released films to his name, those being the Western thriller Outlaws and Angels and the thriller Strange Darling, which was one of the most acclaimed films of 2024, maintaining a 96% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and garnering praise from Stephen King. Mollner also penned the script for the upcoming King adaptation, The Long Walk.
A full list may not have been given for the studios interested in the title, but A24 and Lionsgate wanting to help develop the next Texas Chainsaw Massacre makes sense. The former found widespread success with 2022’s X, with praise particularly directed towards its homages to the franchise and other ’70s horror classics. The latter, on the other hand, has already been part of the franchise’s history, having released two of the prior installments, which were also poorly received. See how Lionsgate’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies compared to the others on Rotten Tomatoes in the chart below:
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Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
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