Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022.
In Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it’s made clear that Leatherface has remained free for almost 50 after the events of the original film—but how is that possible? Retconning all of the franchise’s various sequels and remakes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows on from Tobe Hooper’s 1974 original, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. However, with a leap of 50 years between the two narratives, Texas Chain Saw Massacre (2022) was forced to get a little creative with the intervening years.
In Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s 2022 timeline, Leatherface (Mark Burnham) managed to maintain his freedom after the events of the original film. With the combined body count of the various sequels no longer on his rap sheet, this might seem a little more plausible. After laying low in Harlow for 50 years, Leatherface is free to go on a rampage once again, prompted by the death of Mrs. Mc (Alice Krige) and the descent of a horde of investors upon the town.
However, even with most of the franchise’s events retconned, Leatherface still murdered four people in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and his only surviving victim was able to alert the police. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) addresses Leatherface’s continued freedom only briefly, however. The film itself asserts that as the killer was wearing a mask, he couldn’t be identified, and implies that Leatherface has been hiding out in Mrs. Mc’s orphanage ever since.
As Leatherface lays waste to Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s cast, it’s hard not to wonder how such a hulking, imposing figure could ever have gone unidentified, mask or no. Considering Mrs. Mc clearly showed affection for Leatherface—despite seemingly knowing about his crimes—it’s not unreasonable to assume that she’d have harbored him for all that time. Still, this begs another question: could she really have hidden him from the people of Harlow?
Had Mrs. Mc hidden Leatherface away quickly after the events of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, it’s plausible that he could have remained in the building undetected for 50 years. And, as the early narration (John Larroquette) and Lila’s (Elsie Fisher) exchange with the gas station proprietor points out, Leatherface was masked during his crimes. Assuming a lack of any identifying factors other than the sheer size of Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s Leatherface, it’s unlikely he could have been tried for the murders, even if Harlow’s residents had suspected him.
While it may not be likely that Leatherface could have remained free for 50 years—it’s hard for a giant cannibalistic maniac to lay low, after all—it’s certainly not outside the realm of possibility. Texas Chainsaw Massacre does address the plot point, albeit briefly, perhaps as it knows how ridiculous the premise sounds. It might seem outlandish, but Leatherface’s relationship with Mrs. Mc seemingly runs deep, so it’s possible that even Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s villain understands how much he owes the woman for keeping him out of prison.
