A Texas Chain Saw Massacre Animated Movie Was Just Confirmed (Yes, Really)
Horror, as a genre, is a pretty big deal. We’ve seen it for ourselves at the box office this year with movies like Obsession and Backrooms not only proving to be financially successful, but also in their impact on popular culture. The horror landscape is shifting because of those films and others like it and it makes for an exciting time. And they’re not alone in terms of horror films that have had significant cultural impact. Just over 50 years ago, Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre completely redefined the slasher horror genre and now, the iconic film is about to flip things upside down again with a new release that no one saw coming.
Dark Sky Films and Exurbia Films have announced that an animated version of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is currently in production. The film will be a hand-animated rotoscoped version of The Chain Saw Massacre, utilizing the animation technique utilized by early Disney animated classics like Snow White and Cinderella as well as more contemporary animated features, including The Lord of the Rings, Heavy Metal, Fire and Ice, and more. The new film is currently set to debut in 2027.
“The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a masterpiece that changed cinema forever,” Paul Beck, Animation Director and Art Director said. “Our goal is to honor its legacy by reimagining it through the timeless art of hand-drawn rotoscoping, giving audiences a completely new way to experience a film they thought they already knew.”
Fans Won’t Have to Wait to Get a Tease of the Animated Horror Classic (And It Honestly Sounds Cool)
What’s particularly interesting about this animated The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is that while it’s currently in production and isn’t set to arrive until sometime in 2027, fans of the slasher horror won’t have to wait all that long to get a peek. A first look is set for the annual Texas Chain Saw Day, presented by Dark Sky Films and Fathom Entertainment, on August 18th. The one-day-only presentation will give fans a chance to enjoy a behind-the-scenes featurette which includes a look at the film’s hand-animated footage.
Now, you might be thinking that while this is kind of a neat announcement (especially if you’re a Texas Chain Saw fan), the idea of this particular horror movie getting an animated take is a little strange, but the fact that it’s being done with rotoscoping makes things a lot more cool. First invented in 1915 by Max Fleischer, rotoscoping is a technique in which animators trace over motion picture footage frame by frame. The technique creates realistic action in the animation and creates a unique visual effect. That unique visual effect in particular could very well add a new dimension to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and certainly introduces it to a completely different art form. One might say it could elevate the slasher experience but one thing is absolutely certain: this is one animated film that’s definitely not for kids.
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