Legendary Entertainment has been developing a reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Helmed by director David Blue Garcia, Texas Chainsaw Massacre will serve as a direct sequel to the original 1974 horror film, even bringing back iconic final girl Sally Hardesty.
While speaking with CBR about his latest film, Don't Let Her In, writer/director Ted Nicolaou shared his perspective on the horror reboot. Having worked on the original film's sound, he stated, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of those movies that is of its time."
The Terrorvision director continued, "The way that it was made on 16 millimeters, the way that it was made by Tobe Hooper, and the crew that was gathered around him -- it has a very rough appeal. And I think that's what made it seem so terrifying to people too because it felt so real. And, you know, I'm happy when they remake Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because we all participate a little bit in the profits from that, in the payoff from the selling off the rights. But I have to say, when you apply a kind of modern horror film aesthetics to something that is so unique, I don't think it can ever beat the original."
Although Nicolaou acknowledged the imperfections of the original, namely its raw production quality, he believes that it is the film's imperfections that made it a classic "The original, you know, has a lot of kind of flaws to it," he said. "But it is a very powerful film. And I think any attempt to jazz it up with modern aesthetics, just kind of doesn't help the actual terror of the story. So good luck trying to remake it, but I feel like some movies or just should be left alone."
Similar to David Gordon Greene's Halloween reboot -- which successfully relaunched the Michael Myers-starring franchise with an aged Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) facing off against an older version of Michael to overcome her past trauma -- the 2021 R-rated sequel to Hooper's 70s slasher will showcase an older Sally Hardesty alongside an aged Leatherface.
Directed by David Blue Garcia from a script by Chris Devlin, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre stars Elise Fisher, Sarah Yarkin, Mark Burnham, Moe Dunford, Olwen Fouéré, Alice Krige, Jacob Latimore, Nell Hudson, Jessica Allain, Sam Douglas, William Hope and Jolyon Coy. The film arrives in theaters in 2021.