A24 Fires Up The Chainsaw With New TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE TV Series and Film Plans
A24 is officially stepping into Leatherface territory. After months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering, the studio has landed the film and TV rights to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise and is wasting zero time getting bloody with it.
The first project out of the gate is a TV series spearheaded by JT Mollner, with a feature film also taking shape behind the scenes.
The deal came together following a lengthy auction overseen by Verve, which wrapped back in September. Multiple heavy hitters chased the rights, with creative teams tied to names like Jordan Peele, Oz Perkins, and Taylor Sheridan all circling. In the end, A24 walked away with control of one of horror’s most infamous franchises.
The TV series brings Mollner back together with Roy Lee and Steven Schneider following their work on Strange Darling. The producing team includes Glen Powell through Barnstorm alongside Dan Cohen, plus Stuart Manashil, Ben Ross from ImageNation, and Exurbia Films’ Kim Henkel, who co-created the original nightmare fuel back in 1974. Ian Henkel and Pat Cassidy are also on board.
A feature film is also in early development with the same producing team and ImageNation, though Mollner isn’t attached to that project. The movie hasn’t been packaged yet, and it’s still unclear where it’ll land or if earlier reports pointing to Netflix will pan out.
For Mollner, this new series isn’t about redoing what already works. He made that clear in a statement that lays out his approach to the material:
“I’ve said publicly that I’m not interested in remaking perfect films, and the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a perfect film. Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel created something bold, transgressive, and truly seminal that holds up even today as the gold standard for horror.
“When the opportunity for a long form exploration into this world arose, I saw it as a fresh way in, as well as a way to honor the existing folklore. I can’t imagine better partners for this approach than A24. This is truly an honor.”
Powell, who grew up in Texas and is producing only, echoed that personal connection to the franchise:
“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of my favorite films. It defined a generation of horror films and over half a century after its release, it remains one of the definitive movies of my home state.
“I’m honored to have Barnstorm help bring in a new chapter for such an iconic title and franchise. With a marquee home in A24 and visionary filmmaker with JT Mollner, alongside our top shelf producing partners, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better team for such a dream property.”
Henkel also weighed in on why A24 ultimately felt like the right home for Leatherface’s next act:
“It was a difficult decision, but A24’s embrace of boundary-testing genre film, and its record of working with artists who are inclined to test boundaries made them a compelling choice.
“Plus, we believe having a great creative and producing team—JT Mollner, Roy Lee, Dan Cohen and Glen Powell—in place gives us the best shot at a series that could be genuinely eye-opening and unexpected. There’s an epic tale lurking in the Chainsaw backstory.”
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre legacy is legendary. The original 1974 film was made for just $140,000 and went on to gross $31 million after being released by Bryanston Distributing Company, the same outfit that handled Deep Throat.
Despite the success, the filmmakers famously saw little of that money. In 1983, New Line Cinema took over distribution rights across nine films, pushing the franchise past $252 million worldwide. Along the way, it spawned comics, novels, and even video games.
With A24 now holding the keys, the future of Texas Chainsaw Massacre feels primed for something meaner, insane, and more thoughtful than the franchise has seen in years.
A long-form series digging into the mythos, paired with a new feature waiting in the wings, sounds like a pretty killer way to bring Leatherface back to life.