More than five decades after forever changing the horror genre, one of cinema’s most influential films is being reimagined through one of animation’s rarest artistic disciplines, without any use of artificial intelligence. Dark Sky Films and Exurbia Films today announced that a hand-animated rotoscoped version of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is currently in production, the pioneering animation technique used in early Disney classics (Snow White, Cinderella) and animated features including The Lord of the Rings, Heavy Metal, and Fire and Ice). The film is anticipated to debut as an all-new feature in 2027.
The project is being led by Animation Director and Art Director Paul Beck, an Austin-based multimedia artist whose collaborations with acclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater helped redefine modern rotoscoping. Beck served as a lead animator on Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly, and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood, and has exhibited his paintings, sculptures, films, and video installations internationally in New York, Berlin, Brazil, Croatia, and Romania.
The rotoscoping of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE transforms Tobe Hooper’s 1974 masterpiece through the painstaking art of rotoscoping. Every frame will be illustrated by hand using the labor-intensive animation technique in which artists meticulously trace live-action footage frame by frame. Employing no artificial intelligence, the production relies exclusively on the craftsmanship and decades of experience of veteran artists to preserve the performances, atmosphere, and intensity of the original film while presenting audiences with a striking new visual experience.
“The original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a masterpiece that changed cinema forever,” said Paul Beck, Animation Director and Art Director. “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.”
Joining Beck is an accomplished team of artists with extensive experience in animation, visual effects, and illustration. Max Peake serves as Lead Animator alongside Nate Bayless, whose credits include Apollo 10½, Undone, Tower, and BoJack Horseman. With nearly two decades in animation and visual effects, Bayless oversees the project’s special effects animation. Jeremy Martinez, an internationally award-winning illustrator and caricaturist whose credits include Amazon Prime’s Undone and Fox’s Let’s Be Real, serves as Background Artist, creating the richly stylized environments that define the film’s distinctive visual identity.
Rather than relying on automated workflows, the filmmakers are embracing the meticulous craftsmanship that has defined rotoscoping for more than a century. Artists manually trace key frames before isolating and compositing individual visual elements, giving them complete creative control over every movement, expression, texture, and shadow while preserving the realism of the original performances.
Audiences will get their first look at the hand-animated rotoscoped version of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE through exclusive exploration footage of the project during the annual Texas Chain Saw Day, presented by Dark Sky Films and Fathom Entertainment, on August 18. For one day only, theatergoers nationwide will see a behind-the-scenes featurette that includes a sneak peek of hand-animated footage from the film while production is still underway.
TICKETS FOR TEXAS CHAIN SAW DAY PRESENTED BY DARK SKY FILMS AND FATHOM ENTERTAINMENT ARE AVAILABLE HERE
Invented by Max Fleischer in 1915, rotoscoping helped shape early animation, from Koko the Clown and Disney classics to the iconic lightsaber effects of the original Star Wars trilogy. The technique later experienced a modern renaissance through Richard Linklater’s acclaimed rotoscoped films and remains one of animation’s most demanding handcrafted art forms, making it a fitting medium for this new interpretation of THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
Long before modern horror franchises redefined the genre, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE shocked audiences and became one of the most influential horror films ever made. Its legacy has endured for more than five decades, inspiring generations of filmmakers and earning preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.
Created entirely by hand, this new interpretation brings together one of horror’s most influential films and one of animation’s most demanding art forms, offering audiences a new way to experience THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
About Dark Sky Films | Dark Sky Films is one of horror’s most trailblazing independent labels, connecting audiences with the films, filmmakers, and experiences that define genre culture. From cult classics to emerging voices, Dark Sky has earned a reputation for discovering groundbreaking talent and shaping the future of horror.
The Company’s library includes genre landmarks such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre alongside acclaimed Dark Sky productions including Ti West’s The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers; Jim Mickle’s Stake Land; Ted Geoghegan’s We Are Still Here and Let’s Start A Cult starring Stavros Halkias.
Today, brothers Badie and Hamza Ali are building on that foundation while creating intuitive pathways into the genre for a new generation of fans. As horror continues to thrive around the world, Dark Sky is also committed to becoming a leading home for international horror, connecting audiences with the most exciting and original voices from across the globe.
