1974–1995 Timeline

The original timeline begins with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and continues through The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990), and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1995). These films follow various interpretations of Leatherface and his cannibalistic family.

In the 1974 film, a group of young friends are traveling through rural Texas encounters Leatherface and his family after stopping near an abandoned farmhouse. One by one, the group is brutally murdered using hammers, meat hooks, and chainsaws before survivor Sally Hardesty barely escapes. The film portrays Leatherface as terrifying and unpredictable, but also heavily dependent on his abusive family structure.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 takes a more exaggerated and darkly comedic approach while continuing the original story. Leatherface and his family operates from a underground hideout beneath an abandoned amusement park continuing their murders and cannibalism. The film explores Leatherface’s more emotional and confused side particularly through his strange attraction toward radio host Stretch.

The later sequels continues presenting different versions of the family while maintaining Leatherface as the central killer. Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III portrays him as more violent and aggressive, while The Next Generation introduces bizarre conspiracy elements and a highly unstable family dynamic.

2003–2006 Timeline

The remake timeline begins with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006). This continuity reimagines Leatherface with a darker tone while expanding his backstory and family origins.

In the events of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Leatherface is born with a severe skin disease and facial deformities that lead to years of abuse and isolation. He is raised by the Hewitt family a violent and cannibalistic household living in rural Texas. Unlike the previous films, this timeline places greater emphasis on Leatherface’s tragic upbringing and emotional dependence on his family.

The Beginning is as a prequel that explains Leatherface’s early life including his violent childhood, his first murders, and the origins of the Hewitt family’s brutality. The film further portrays Leatherface as both terrifying and emotionally broken, shaped into a killer by years of abuse, violence, and manipulation.

2007–2009 Timeline

The modern timeline includes Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013), Leatherface (2017), and Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022). Each of these films are direct sequels to the original 1974 film and are not connected to each other story wise.

Texas Chainsaw 3D acts as a direct sequel to the original 1974 film while ignoring the previous other films. The story follows Heather Miller, who discovers she is related to Leatherface after inheriting property in Texas. Upon arriving, she learns that Leatherface has remained hidden for years beneath the family home. The film presents Leatherface in a more sympathetic light, portraying him as protective toward surviving family members.

Leatherface (2017) serves as an origin story exploring Leatherface’s kid and teenage years. The film follows a young Jedidiah Sawyer after escaping from a mental institution alongside several violent patients.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) acts as another direct sequel to the original film and also ignores the previous other films. An older Leatherface returns after years of hiding when a group of entrepreneurs arrives in a small Texas town hoping to renovate abandoned buildings. After violence erupts Leatherface resumes his killing spree with brutal efficiency showing that despite his age, he remains extremely dangerous and violent.