After much anticipation, the upcoming prequel toThe Texas Chainsaw MassacrecalledLeatherfacenow has a trailer. The release date was announced earlier this month, which isSeptember 21st, 2017exclusively through DirecTV with a special limited theatrical run on the big screen and a full VOD release through Lionsgate set up just in perfect time for Halloween. This fall is about to get a lot creepier with the addition ofLeatherfaceto the lineup that also includes the remake of Stephen King’sITand the return of Netflix’s insanely popularStranger Things.
The Red Band trailer forLeatherfacecomes to us viaBloody Disgusting’s official YouTubechannel and it looks really, really good. The story and specific plot points aren’t evident through the trailer, but it definitely sets itself apart from the previous movies. The comedy of the past is gone and instead replaced with heartbreak and utter carnage. This is going to be a serious affair this time around with a focus on what makesLeatherfacetick, which is a pretty frightening thought. The trailer is not without some cheese though… he does receive achainsawfor his birthday. This movie definitely looks like its aimed towardsThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrepurists. The official synopsis for the prequel can be read below.
" In Texas, years before the events of theTexas Chainsaw Massacre, in the early days of the infamousSawyer family, the youngest child is sentenced to a mental hospital after a suspicious incident leaves the sheriffs' daughter dead. Ten years later, he kidnaps a young nurse and escapes with 3 other inmates. Pursued by authorities including the deranged sheriff out to avenge his daughter’s death, the young Sawyer teen goes on a violent road trip from hell, molding him into the monster known now asLeatherface."
Preproduction started in early 2014 forLeatherface, and most of the casting and production was completed in 2015. The movie stars Stephen Dorff as Texas Ranger Hal Hartman, Lilli Taylor as Verna Sawyer, and Sam Strike as Jackson. Filming took place in Bulgaria, mostly for budget reasons. Since the movie takes place in the 1960s, cars from that era needed to be found and the crew had to look for spots around Bulgaria that resembled the look of Texas in the 1960s. It was announced in May that the movie would finally see the light of day in October of 2017, but it was only recently that we received the official release date.
The last time that we got to see some action from thelegendary horror character Leatherfacewas in 2013’sTexas Chainsaw 3D, which was a direct sequel to the original classic 1974 movie, in turn ignoring the 2nd and 3rd movies in the franchise as well as the remakes that happened over the years. The 3D movie made some money at the box office, but it was torn apart by fans and critics alike, many calling it laughable.Leatherfacedirectors Julian Maury and Alexandre Bustillo are on a serious mission to bring the franchise back to its gory, no frills past.
Excitement just got a lot higher for this prequel. The trailer is everything that a fan ofThe Texas Chainsaw Massacrehas been waiting for and maybe a little bit more. Maury and Bustillo have promised “a brutal and nihilistic movie that we hope will surprise and delight the fans.” Check out the trailer forLeatherfacebelow and then check it out when it hits DirecTV on September 21st, 2017 with the theatrical release and VOD coming October 20th, 2017.
