Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022 film)

Initially during the development of Leatherface which was released in 2017, the producers had the film rights and intention to make five more Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. In April 2015, producer Christa Campbell stated that the fate of the potential sequels would largely depend on the financial and critical reception to Leatherface.[8][9] By December 2017, Lionsgate and Millennium Films had lost the film rights, due to the amount of time it took to release Leatherface.[10]

In August 2018, it was reported that Legendary Pictures had entered preliminary negotiations to purchase the film rights to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, with the studio intending to adapt television and film installments.[11][12] The following year, Fede Álvarez signed onto the project as producer.[13][14][15] In November 2019, Chris Thomas Devlin joined the production as screenwriter.[16] In February 2020, Ryan Tohill and Andy Tohill were hired to serve as co-directors for the film.[17] In May of the same year, it was announced that the film will serve as a direct sequel to the original film and ignore all other installments of the franchise. The plot will feature a 60-year-old Leatherface, notably similar to the approach that Blumhouse Productions took with their Halloween films.[18][14][19]

In October 2020, it was announced that Elsie Fisher had been cast to star in the film alongside Sarah Yarkin, Moe Dunford, Alice Krige, Jacob Latimore, Nell Hudson, Jessica Allain, Sam Douglas, William Hope, and Jolyon Coy.[7] In March 2021, it was revealed that Mark Burnham had been cast as Leatherface, replacing the late Gunnar Hansen, while Olwen Fouéré was cast as Sally Hardesty, replacing the late Marilyn Burns.[20][21]

Principal photography commenced on August 17, 2020 in Bulgaria. However, after being unimpressed with what was filmed, the studio fired Ryan and Andy Tohill. David Blue Garcia was hired to replace them as director. The footage shot by the Tohill brothers would not be used, with Garcia starting over on the production.[6]

By March 2021, Álvarez announced that production had completed, while confirming that the film would focus on an older-aged Leatherface. The filmmaker revealed that the production took an "old school" approach to filmmaking, noting vintage lenses and practical effects used for the gore.[22][23][24] The following month, the film was officially titled Texas Chainsaw Massacre.[25][26] It was believed at one point that the title had changed to Texas Chainsaw Begins but Devlin denied this.[27] In May, it was reported that after test screenings, the audience reaction was generally negative.[28][29] However by August, Álvarez counterclaimed that the overall audience score was mostly positive, while emphasizing that the film remains respectful to the first film's legacy.[30]

That same month, it was revealed that Colin Stetson served as composer for the film.[31]