The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is one of the most iconic in horror history, beginning with Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic, which introduced Leatherface and the terrifying Sawyer family. Over the years, the franchise expanded with numerous sequels, remakes, and prequels, creating a chaotic timeline that can be confusing to follow. Whether you're a newcomer or revisiting the series, here’s how to watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies in both chronological and release order.
How to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies in chronological order
The timeline of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is not straightforward, with multiple reboots and divergent storylines. To follow the events chronologically, you can watch the films in the following order(s).
Original series:
- Leatherface (2017)
- 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)
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)
3D sequel continuity:
- Leatherface (2017)
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
- Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)
Remake series:
While the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise began with the 1974 original, 2017’s Leatherface acts as a prequel as it tells the origin story of Leatherface. The film explores his troubled childhood and how he became the infamous killer.
Then comes The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the film that started it all, featuring a group of friends who fall victim to Leatherface and his cannibalistic family in rural Texas.
Picking up over a decade after the original, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 follows a radio DJ and a Texas Ranger as they hunt down the cannibalistic Sawyer family.
While not directly tied to the first two films, 1990’s Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III serves as a loose continuation of the Leatherface saga.
1995’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation served as a bizarre reboot of the franchise that loosely ties into the original. This film is set years after the first movie but follows a different storyline.
A direct sequel to this film came decades later in 2022 with the Netflix original movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It marked the return of Leatherface as he stalked a batch of new-age characters. This sequel also notably marked the return of the original’s “final girl” heroine Sally Hardesty (although Olwen Fouéré played her as original actress Marilyn Burns passed away in 2014).
There is another continuity to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies with the release of 2013’s Texas Chainsaw 3D, a direct sequel to the 1974 original. This movie ignores all other sequels and introduces a new generation of Sawyer family members.
In the 2000s, the franchise also received a remake in 2003 that was set in the same timeframe but with updated characters and modern horror elements. In 2006, a prequel called The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning explored Leatherface’s early years and how he became a brutal killer.
How to watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies in chronological order
The list below shows you how and where you can watch all the nine Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies online in release order. We also give you offers to buy or rent these movies on streaming platforms in India along with options to watch these movies for free. Get ready for a blood-soaked binge watch!
