A new poster for the upcoming reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre gives fans their first look at the modern take on Leatherface. The homicidal maniac known as Leatherface has become one of the most infamous killers in horror movie history thanks to his sheer brutality.
Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre was initially seen as too violent when it was released in 1974. It was banned in numerous countries, and many theatres stopped showing it after complaints from audience members. This, however, did nothing to stop the film’s success. Despite its reputation for gore and excess, the story of a group of teens who inadvertently stumble upon the rural home of a family of cannibals proved to be highly engaging. Its status as a cult horror hit grew over the years, and today it is widely seen as one of the most influential horror films ever made. Many of the film’s tropes have since become slasher horror film staples. Given its exalted position among horror films, there’s little wonder why it spawned seven sequels since then.
The most recent entry in the franchise is a reboot of sorts, aiming to bring the horrors of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to a new generation of horror fans. Produced by Fede Alvarez of Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe fame, the modern TCM teases a glimpse of what Leatherface will look like this time around in a new poster from Legendary Entertainment. The image is painted in a slightly impressionistic style, with a flourish of colors and paint smears. Beneath it all, however, is the familiar mask made of human skin.
Though not a lot is known about the upcoming film’s plot, Alvarez's involvement could indicate it will stay true enough to the original while expanding on key moments. This was the formula Alvarez followed with his 2013 reboot of Evil Dead, and for the most part, fans found it to be an acceptable take on the original. Of course, no reboot or remake is ever going to surpass the quality of a film as highly regarded as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is. Alvarez’s strengths in the horror genre come from him being aware of this and merely amplifying aspects while also giving a slightly different take.
At this point, when it comes to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it isn’t easy to take things in much of a different direction. If the storyline or plot too far from the 1974 version, fans of the original will not be happy. Because the film has had so many sequels, reboots, and remakes over the years, it’s challenging to make a new impact without repeating mistakes or adding unnecessary elements. However, if the new poster is any indication, there’s already a subtlety to this production that will hopefully mean a careful and considerate approach to the film itself.
Source: Legendary Entertainment