All nine Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies ranked as Leatherface takes Netflix

You may prefer Jason Voorhees. You may prefer Chucky, or Freddy, or Michael. But, Leatherface is the grandfather of the grisly slashers. 

Tobe Hooper’s 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre introduced the world to one of the most terrifying and memorable antagonists in the history of cinema. So powerful was the impression on audiences, in fact, filmmakers continue to bring him back. 

The latest – simply titled Texas Chainsaw Massacre – comes from director David Blue Garcia and takes place fifty years after the events of the original. 

Before or after diving in, it’s the perfect time to reminisce the entire franchise with a ranking…

• BETTER CALL SAUL: Return date

All nine Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies ranked

Spanning from 1974 to 2022, here is our ranking of the entire Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Here goes:

9.) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995)

8.) Leatherface (2017)

7.) Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

6.) Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

5.) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

4.) Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

3.) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

2.) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

1.) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Even after all of these years, the original simply must be crowned as the best instalment of the franchise. It has lost none of its power. 

• NOPE: It’s aliens, right?

“The spirit and the style of that movie stuck with me”

For those who are wondering why and how the latest franchise entry ranks so high, there are a number of moments and visuals that brilliantly hearken back to the original.

It’s these irresistible moments that help elevate the series’ return and director David Blue Garcia recently told Comic Book that this was the intention:

“The cinematographer and I, we talked a lot about ‘elevated grindhouse.’ We wanted it to feel raw and gritty, like the original, and we used a lot of old-fashioned camera techniques, simple dollies and handheld shots and stuff like that. We did want to update it for a modern audience, I just didn’t want it to be too slick.

“I watched the original before we made this,” he revealed. “It was the last movie I watched before I shot this film, and just the spirit and the style of that movie stuck with me.”

Now we play the waiting game… again

As of yet, neither Netflix nor the creators of the latest film have announced whether a tenth entry in the franchise has been confirmed. 

However, there’s reason to be optimistic as the film clearly sets things up for a direct sequel. 

In the meantime, it’s a fitting opportunity to revisit or go through the nine aforementioned films for the first time. Leatherface is back. 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is now streaming on Netflix.