What is the best order to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies?

In 1974, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre made its debut. The slasher film, about a chainsaw-wielding cannibal called Leatherface who terrorised and murdered a group of teenagers, created a great deal of controversy upon release but… *cough* …also made a killing at the box office.

And if a horror movie becomes successful, then it is eventually followed by sequels. Which is what happened to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Well, actually, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was followed by sequels, prequels, and remakes – and not all in that order. Some of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies followed on from each other, while others created an alternate and/or rebooted timeline.

The result? One very, VERY mixed up movie series.

Yeah, there’s one thing that is very clear about the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series, and that is… the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series isn’t very clear at all. In fact, it’s downright confusing and perplexing.

In this post, I am going to detangle the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, to explore the different movies and clear up some of the confusion. So, if you wish to know the viewing order for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies, just sit back, relax, and let me go to work.

*Revs up a chainsaw*

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Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

The first entry in the long-running horror movie series arrived in 1974 under the title The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The low-budget movie centred its story around a group of teens who stumble into a deadly situation in the midst of a road trip.

In the film, Sally Hardesty, her brother Franklin, and their friends are travelling through Texas when they explore an abandoned house. However, they soon cross paths with a large man, wearing a mask made of skin, who attacks and kills members of the group.

The man is Leatherface – a member of a cannibal family known as the Sawyers. Leatherface and his family live off the land, as well as anyone who comes calling. (83 mins)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

Set 13 years after the events of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a loose follow-up, which focuses on radio host, Vanita ‘Stretch’ Brock. In the movie, she becomes the unwitting victim of Leatherface and the Sawyer family. (101 mins)

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

Created as another loose sequel, Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III follows the story of young couple, Michelle and Ryan, as they travel through Texas. After becoming lost, they encounter Leatherface and the rest of the Sawyer clan, leading to more gore and violence. (85 mins)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)

The fourth entry in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series arrived in 1995, where it was initially titled The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. However, after a limited release the film was re-edited and given a new title, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

In this film, teenagers Barry, Heather, Sean, and Jenny, encounter Leatherface and his family during the night of their school prom. (95 mins)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

The release of the first four Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies between 1974 and 1995 was somewhat of a bumpy ride. The only commercial success was the first movie, and all of the sequels that followed flopped at the box-office.

So, rather than continue with any more sequels, plans were put in place to reboot the franchise. Reboots of classic horror movies were a popular thing during the early 2000s, and it was time for this series to undergo the same treatment.

Released in 2003, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was positioned as a remake of the original movie, which could reboot the series for a new generation. The film followed a similar template to the 1974 film, and took the story back to the beginning, but this time around it focused a little more on Leatherface’s background. (98 mins)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

Although 2003’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre received a mixed response from critics, the film was a financial hit. As such, another movie soon followed.

However, rather than continue with a sequel, the newly rebooted franchise rewound the clock for a prequel. The movie – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning – was set in 1969 and explored the roots of the Sawyer family. (91 mins)

Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

Following the release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, the horror franchise went on hiatus for seven years. When it returned to screens it was all change, and the rebooted series was abandoned.

Moving forward (for now), the series went back to the original film and jettisoned everything else. Designed as a direct sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and ignoring every other film that followed, 2013’s Texas Chainsaw 3D focused on a new character, Heather.

In the movie, Heather travels to Texas to collect an heritance. However, upon arrival she discovers she is part of the Sawyer family, who have recently attacked Sally Hardesty and her friends. (92 mins)

Leatherface (2017)

The next movie in the series was 2017’s Leatherface, which was designed as a prequel to 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Set in the same continuity as Texas Chainsaw 3D, the movie explored the origins of Leatherface. (90 mins)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

2017’s Leatherface was neither a critical or commercial success, so for the ninth entry in the series, the slate was wiped (almost) clean once again for 2022’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This film – which was released directly onto Netflix – was designed as a belated sequel to 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, ignoring the events of every other movie in the series.

In this movie, it has been 50 years since the events of the original film and a group of young entrepreneurs travel to Texas to gentrify the rundown town of Harlow. While in town, the run across Leatherface, who has been in seclusion for years, but who comes out of retirement for yet another killing spree. (83 mins)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies in production order

To date there are nine entries in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series. Should you wish to watch all of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies in production order, follow this list:

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
• Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)
• Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)
• Leatherface (2017)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

OK, those are the films, now let’s break them down into their subcategories.

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Are the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies all part of the same series?

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series is divided into four subcategories: The Original Timeline; The Rebooted Timeline; The Revised Original Timeline; and The Other Revised Original Timeline.

The films break down as follows:

The Original Timeline

As mentioned above, in 1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre kick-started the original series. This film was then followed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation.

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
• Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)

The Rebooted Timeline

The second timeline is The Rebooted Timeline which includes the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. These two films can either be watched in production order, or reversed to watch in chronological timeline order.

In production order:

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

In chronological order:

• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

The Revised Original Timeline

The third timeline is The Revised Original Timeline which consists of 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the direct sequel Texas Chainsaw 3D, and the prequel Leatherface. These three movies can be watched in production order, or rejigged into chronological timeline order.

In production order:

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)
• Leatherface (2017)

In chronological order:

• Leatherface (2017)
• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

The Other Revised Original Timeline

The fourth timeline is The Other Revised Original Timeline which consists of 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the sequel Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

• Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

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Who are the cast of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies and are the films the work of the same director?

Notable cast members in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series include Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, John Larroquette, Dennis Hopper, Jim Siedow, Bill Moseley, Bill Johnson, Kate Hodge, William Butler, Ken Foree, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Everett, Renée Zellweger, Matthew McConaughey, Lisa Marie Newmyer, Debra Marshall, Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour, R. Lee Ermey, Jordanna Brewster, Matt Bomer, Scott Eastwood, Stephen Dorff, Lili Taylor, Finn Jones, Elsie Fisher, Sarah Yarkin, and Alice Krige.

In terms of the directors, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies are the work of the following:

• Tobe Hooper directed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
• Jeff Burr directed Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III
• Kim Henkel directed The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
• Marcus Nispel directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003
• Jonathan Liebesman directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
• John Luessenhop directed Texas Chainsaw 3D
• Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo directed Leatherface
• David Blue Garcia directed Texas Chainsaw Massacre

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And finally, which is the best The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie?

According to IMDb, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies are rated as follows:

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) – 7.4/10
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) – 5.6/10
• Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) – 5.0/10
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995) – 3.3/10
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) – 6.2/10
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) – 5.8/10
• Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013) – 4.8/10
• Leatherface (2017) – 5.0/10
• Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) – 4.7/10

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If you’re a fan of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies then you may wish to know that the original film is currently available on 4K UHD.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 4K UHD release includes a wealth of extra features including multiple commentaries, featurettes, documentaries, trailers, deleted scenes, and more.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 4K UHD edition is available from all good entertainment stockists, including Amazon US and Amazon UK.

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Disclaimer: I earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

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Editor/writer/sane person who does not own a chainsaw

Alex Wiggan

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I hope this information about the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie series has proved useful. Should you wish to know more about other long-running movie series on It’s A Stampede!, please check out one of the recommended reads below.