By MICHAEL GINGOLD
He’s one of a few callbacks to Tobe Hooper’s classic in the upcoming new version.
Variety reports that John Larroquette, who provided the opening narration for the 1974 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (and did it again in the 2003 remake), has done so again for the latest film, which premieres on Netflix February 18. Larroquette’s vocal turn at the beginning of the Hooper movie, discussing the allegedly true crimes to follow, was his feature-film debut, and TEXAS CHAINSAW 2022’s director David Blue Garcia tells the trade, “It felt important to honor the original TCM at every opportunity. John’s voice is iconic in the original opening and we thought it would help set the perfect tone in our own intro. It’s also a subtle way of letting the fans know they’re in good hands.”
And the actor won’t be the only familiar element in the new movie. “I can’t wait for fans to analyze and find all of the callbacks, some of which aren’t even intentional,” Garcia says. “I swear some stuff just happened and it’s kind of freaky. I will say that we shot with one of the original, working Poulan chainsaws from the original film. On set, every morning I would walk by the prop cart, touch it and get its blessing for the day. I wanted some of its ’70s magic.”
Scripted by Chris Thomas Devlin from a story by DON’T BREATHE and the EVIL DEAD remake’s Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues (who are also among the producers, along with original scripter Kim Henkel), TEXAS CHAINSAW 2022 stars Alice Krige (GHOST STORY, SLEEPWALKERS), Nell Hudson, Elsie Fisher, Olwen Fouéré, Moe Dunford, Jacob Latimore, William Hope and Mark Burnham as Leatherface.