Taylor Sheridan, Glen Powell among Texans circling new ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’
Well-known Texan entertainers, Taylor Sheridan and Glen Powell may be adding another feather to their cowboy hat.
Deadline reported last week that the bidding war for the rights to the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is heating up, with several interested parties seeking control of the horror franchise. The Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel-created film franchise began with the 1974 film “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.”
Verve, an agency who has repped the “Chainsaw” rights since 2017, first heard new pitches for the franchise in mid-March.
“Top Gun: Maverick” star Powell, an Austin native, was first linked to the project then as being keen to read a script from filmmaker JT Mollner, who pitched his new take. No deals were made then, as talks were in the early stages.
Now, more than two months later, Deadline reported that things are heating up with the “Chainsaw” rights, and Sheridan’s name has “gained steam” among other creative parties, according to the article. If Sheridan is to secure the rights, he would only serve as a producer for a future project.
Sheridan’s prior horror experience
No details were shared on what Sheridan’s pitch is for the franchise. If he is to secure the rights, it wouldn’t be the first time the Fort Worth native dipped his toes into horror filmmaking.
Sheridan has stuck almost exclusively to the Western genre with projects like “Yellowstone” and “Hell or High Water.” He has also worked in the action and spy world with “Lioness” and “Sicario.”
However, before all that, Sheridan’s first directorial credit came on the 2011 horror film “Vile.”
Speaking to Rotten Tomatoes in 2017 for “Wind River,” Sheridan said a friend of his raised the money and cast his buddies in the low budget film and then asked him for help.
“He was going to direct it and produce it, and he started and freaked out, and called and said, ‘Can you help me? I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll try’,” Sheridan said. “I kind of kept the ship pointed straight, and they went off and edited, and did what they did. I think it’s generous to call me the director.”
More on ‘Texas Chainsaw’
In addition to Sheridan and Powell, there’s a few other names in the mix for the “Chainsaw” rights.
“Longlegs” filmmaker Oz Perkins would produce and co-write a project with “The Strangers” director Bryan Bertino, who would direct. Bertino, a Tarrant County native, graduated from Crowley High School in 1996.
“Get Out” filmmaker Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions is also in talks for the franchise in a producing capacity.
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” turns 51 this year.
The property has been fruitful, spawning nine films overall and several video games. Leatherface, the disfigured face of the franchise, is also one of the most recognizable characters in horror.
This story was originally published June 10, 2025 at 7:00 PM.
