'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Reboot Finds Its Directors

There's a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot in the works – and it looks like it's found its directors. Ryan and Andy Tohill, the duo behind the 2018 British-Irish film The Dig, have just landed the gig, with Fede Alvarez set to produce. Is there really anything left to do with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre story at this point? My gut reaction is to say "no" – but I could be wrong!

Variety has the scoop that Ryan and Andy Tohill are set to direct the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot for Legendary. Chris Thomas Devlin is writing the script, while Fede Alvarez and Rodolfo Sayagues are producing. "The Tohill's vision is exactly what the fans want," said Alvarez. "It's violent, exciting and so depraved that it will stay with you forever." News of Alvarez producing a Texas Chainsaw remake surfaced last year.

I haven't seen the Tohill's The Dig, but here's the trailer – which does look suitably gritty and grimy, which fits in nicely with the Texas Chainsaw aesthetic.

Released in 1974, the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre (yes, the original film breaks chainsaw into two words) became a cult phenomenon and has earned its place as one of the most iconic horror movies ever made. Even to this day the movie holds up – the grainy, almost documentary-like style that director Tobe Hooper brought to the film makes it feel real, as if we're watching a snuff film.

The original spawned several sequels – some good, some bad – and a 2003 remake, which was very slick but kind of good (I liked it, at least). So what, exactly, will this new film do? Variety is billing this as a reboot, but it could also be a semi-sequel. A report from 2019 stated that Alvarez was hoping to make a new Texas Chainsaw in the same style as 2018's Halloween, which was both a reboot and a sequel:

While plans aren't set in stone, we're hearing that the hope is to make a direct sequel to [Tobe] Hooper's '74 film, similar to what Blumhouse and Universal have done with Halloween. Unfortunately, Texas Chain Saw Massacre's Final Girl, Marilyn Burns, passed away in 2014. It will be interesting to see how they continue the story without her, although it could just focus on the current state of the Sawyer family.

Whether or not that's still the plan remains to be seen. Perhaps they're taking a completely different approach and will start fresh. And hey, at the very least, whatever they come up with is bound to be better than 2013's Texas Chainsaw 3D, right?