The First Trailer For Netflix's Texas Chainsaw Massacre Teases The Return Of Leatherface
Way back in 1974, moviegoers got their first look at "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" from director Tobe Hooper. Very loosely based on the crimes of real-life murderer Ed Gein, this low-budget, trend-setting slasher flick drummed up its fair share of controversies right out of the gate — ending up pulled from some theaters and even being banned in several countries. Nevertheless, it managed to become a resounding success both critically and financially, launch Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) into the upper echelon of feared big-screen killers, and spawn a massive multimedia franchise in short order.
From 1986 to 2017, a grand total of seven different "Texas Chainsaw" films found their way to the cinema thanks to the enduring popularity of the original. However, as one could likely imagine, few of these attempts at keeping the story alive could measure up to the heights achieved by the first. The most recent of the bunch was actually a prequel titled "Leatherface," which sought to explore the titular character's sinister origins. To put it lightly, it too failed to recreate the magic of its 1974 inspiration, but that isn't stopping Hollywood from revving up the chainsaw one more time.
Netflix's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is set to arrive on the streamer on February 18, 2022, and we've just gotten our first blood-curdling trailer.
There's still some gas left in the chainsaw after all
On December 4, 2021, NetflixFilm on Twitter shared with the world the inaugural teaser for "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." The clip is just over a minute long, and though it doesn't show off much by way of the story, it does have a lot to say about the tone of this film. It maintains a dark, eerie air for much of the runtime before finally giving everyone a sneak peek at the return of Leatherface, this time played by Mark Burnham. We see him look over his latest "mask" and fire up his fearsome chainsaw to try and add more poor souls to his extensive list of victims.
Something interesting to note about "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is that it's a direct sequel to the "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" of the mid-1970s. Therefore, one has to wonder if that film's decades-old sequels still fit into the canon or if this franchise has taken notes from one of its contemporaries: "Halloween." When Michael Myers (Nick Castle) and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) returned to cinemas in 2018 for "Halloween," those in charge decided to wipe the slate clean and do away with the numerous continuations of the 1978 original. Is the "Texas Chainsaw" series due for a similar sweeping retcon? Time will tell.
Leatherface is a horror icon, and though his track record at the movies is hit or miss, hopefully, Netflix's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" will do him justice.