After winning TV and film rights back in September after a hot bidding war, A24 has confirmed that a series based on Tobe Hooper's seminal horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is officially in development.
Strange Darling‘s JT Mollner will direct, with Spooky Picture’s Roy Lee (Barbarian) and Steven Schneider (Hokum) serving as executive producers. The Running Man star and Texas native Glen Powell will produce via Barnstorm, along with Dan Cohen. Stuart Manashil, Image Nation’s Ben Ross and Exurbia Films’ Kim Henkel, who co-created the original TheTexas Chain Saw Massacre will also serve as EPs.
Exurbia Films’ Ian Henkel and Pat Cassidy will also produce.
Deadline also confirms today that alongside the upcoming series, a new Texas Chain Saw Massacre movie is in development with the same producing team and ImageNation, however, Mollner isn’t attached to that project. Who will direct that one remains to be seen, but NOPE‘s Jordan Peele could maybe be in the running.
No news yet on plot or cast details for the upcoming Texas Chain Saw Massacre series (may we humbly suggest that Strange Darling star Kyle Gallner would be a perfect fit), but Mollner has expressed his excitement at helming the project in a new statement:
“I’ve said publicly that I’m not interested in remaking perfect films, and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a perfect film. Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created something bold, transgressive, and truly seminal that holds up even today as the gold standard for horror. When the opportunity for a long form exploration into this world arose, I saw it as a fresh way in, as well as a way to honor the existing folklore. I can’t imagine better partners for this approach than A24. This is truly an honor.”
Powell adds:
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of my favorite films. It defined a generation of horror films and over half a century after its release, it remains one of the definitive movies of my home state. I’m honored to have Barnstorm help bring in a new chapter for such an iconic title and franchise. With a marquee home in A24 and visionary filmmaker with JT Mollner, alongside our top shelf producing partners, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better team for such a dream property.”
A24's Texas Chain Saw Massacre series will sit nicely alongside the genre giant's upcoming Friday the 13th prequel series Crystal Lake as new iterations on classic horror franchises. Watch this space for more details.
