Rob Zombie’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre Is a Thing That Almost Happened

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Hollywood loves revisiting old favorites, and the horror genre is a prime example. Almost every popular horror series from the 1970s and 80s has been updated for today’s audiences, often with multiple attempts. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a standout franchise, known for constantly releasing prequels, reboots, remakes, and sequels that continue the original story.

Over the years, many directors and writers have contributed to the nine Chainsaw Massacre/Leatherface films, starting in 1974. Some, like the series’ original creator Tobe Hooper, became famous, while others continued to have successful careers. A few have been largely forgotten. But one director who almost took on the project would have been the most shocking choice by far.

Rob Zombie’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre Almost Happened

A popular April Fool’s Day joke in 2026 claimed that A24 was planning a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot directed by Rob Zombie. The joke aimed to upset dedicated horror fans who still have strong negative feelings about Zombie’s 2007 remake of Halloween and its 2009 sequel. However, Dread Central revealed that the joke wasn’t entirely fake – a similar project was actually considered at one point.

Following the success of Texas Chainsaw 3D in 2013 – it earned over $47 million despite a $20 million budget – Lionsgate planned a direct sequel to capitalize on that momentum. Rob Zombie was considered to write the follow-up, which made sense given the plot of Texas Chainsaw 3D. The film centered around a previously unknown member of the Sawyer family, Heather/Edith Rose Sawyer (played by Alexandra Daddario), returning home to learn about her family history and her connection to Leatherface. The story ended with Heather embracing her dark family legacy and joining Leatherface.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween films followed a similar path by adding a twist to the story of Laurie Strode, revealing she was actually Michael Myers’ sister, named Angel Myers. Halloween II then explored the psychological impact of the first film’s murders on Laurie/Angel, and how a darkness within her family began to emerge. Therefore, choosing Zombie to tell the story of Edith Rose Sawyer adjusting to life and being mentored by Leatherface makes sense. However, Zombie ultimately left the Texas Chainsaw sequel during production to work on his own slasher movie, 31. That film earned just over $850,000 at the box office, despite being funded largely through crowdfunding with a $1.5 million budget.

Tobe Hooper’s groundbreaking 1974 film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was a low-budget independent movie, costing around $100,000 to make. Hooper aimed to shock audiences and reflect the anxieties of the time, addressing issues like mental illness, the fascination with Satanism, and the disturbing images coming from the Vietnam War. It’s interesting, then, that the film’s villain, Leatherface, has become such a famous and lasting horror icon. Now, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre story will continue with both a new TV series and a sequel film in the works, overseen by actor and filmmaker Glenn Powell (known for Top Gun: Maverick).

Glenn Powell shared earlier this year that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a personal favorite. He noted the film was hugely influential in the horror genre and continues to represent his home state even after more than 50 years. Powell expressed his excitement about Barnstorm’s involvement in creating a new installment for this classic film series.

You can watch the Texas Chainsaw films on different streaming platforms. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on horror movies with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-03 23:43