Major Update on ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ Franchise

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise may be revving back to life.

Three years after the ninth and most recent installment debuted on Netflix, and 50 years after the world was introduced to Leatherface in director Tobe Hooper’s 1974 slasher, the franchise’s rights have hit the market.

The franchise was most recently with Legendary, who produced the 2022 Netflix film Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but the IP has since returned to its owner, Exurbia Pictures. According to a March 21 report from The Hollywood Reporter, Verve, who represent rights holders Exurbia Films, is preparing to shop the rights to the franchise, and there is already a “significant amount of interest from several parties.”

A representative for Verve confirmed the news in a statement to Deadline, but noted that it has “not officially submitted the property into any filmmakers, producers or buyers.” The rep added that “Verve represents The Texas Chainsaw Massacre estate and is building out a multimedia strategy for the seminal horror franchise,” and “because this is such a hot and iconic horror property, packages are pre-emptively being brought to Verve.”

While a bidding war isn’t yet underway, as there currently is no package or take on the material, among the interested parties is reportedly Strange Darling‘s JT Mollner, who is said to be working with producer Roy Lee to pitch an idea to revive the franchise. Glen Powell is reportedly interested in reading a potential script from Mollner for the possibility of starring.

Lionsgate and A24, among others, are said to be interested in the Mollner-Powell combo. However, seemingly addressing the reports on X, Mollner cautioned fans, “Don’t believe everything you read.”

Other interested parties reportedly include It filmmaker Andy Muschietti and Neon, which is “looking for its next big horror film” after Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs (2024) and The Monkey (2025).

Considered one of the most iconic horror franchise, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre first slashed its way into theaters in October 1974 with a film directed by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper. Inspired by serial killers like Ed Gein and Elmer Wayne Henley, the film told the story of the Leatherface, a cannibalistic serial killer who uses a chainsaw and wears the flesh of his victims.

The film, which was credited with introducing the “final girl” horror trope and was met with plenty of controversy, grossed over $30 million at the domestic box office and went on to spawn eight additional films. In total, the franchise has grossed a collective $248 million since 1974.