The third installment in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, is now available to stream on SCREAMBOX. The sequel was initially released in 1990 and marked the first entry in the franchise distributed by New Line Cinema in an attempt to turn it into a new series that harkened back to the original’s gritty horror roots.
Considering the events of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, that also meant introducing a new cannibalistic clan to accompany the iconic Leatherface in the sequel. Leatherface follows a couple from California who run afoul of the Sawyer clan after a bizarre run-in with a hitchhiker at a Texas gas station. That hitchhiker, Tex, is played by The Lord of the Rings trilogy star and frequent David Cronenberg collaborator Viggo Mortensen. Mind you, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III isn’t Mortensen’s first horror role – that distinction belongs to 1987’s Prison – but it gave the actor a lot more range to play with long before his breakthrough hits came along.
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is one of the more overt examples of horror’s frequent reliability in giving stars their early starts long before they find fame. Here are nine more examples of horror sequels that feature prominent stars in early roles.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation – Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger
The immediate follow-up to Leatherface featured another pair of rising stars hailing from Texas: McConaughey and Zellweger. Directed and penned by longtime franchise mainstay Kim Henkel, the fourth entry sees prom night derailed by Leatherface and his deranged family. At one corner of the metaphorical boxing ring is McConaughey’s maniacal Vilmer; Zellweger’s atypical final girl Jenny at the other end. Through camp and zany Leatherface clan antics, Henkel and crew ensure that it’s a sequel you won’t forget.
Night of the Demons 2 – Christine Taylor
Long before establishing a solid reputation for comedy, actress Christine Taylor (Zoolander, The Wedding Singer) showed off her mean girl prowess in the underappreciated sequel Night of the Demons 2. Taylor plays Terri, one of the popular girls banned from the boarding school Halloween dance. The girls opt to relocate their party to Hull House, sparking a new wave of Angela-induced demonic terror. While it may not end well for Terri, Night of the Demons 2 marks Taylor’s early transition from TV to film.
Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College – Matthew Lillard
Before characters Stu Macher and Shaggy put Lillard in the horror hall of fame, the actor appeared as college student Stork in the third Ghoulies installment. The pint-sized demons terrorize a college campus after being summoned by Professor Ragnar (Kevin McCarthy). Ghoulies III was directed by special makeup effects wizard John Carl Buechler (Hatchet, From Beyond), who aims for a more playful tone in this sequel.
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers – Paul Rudd
The sixth entry in this enduring franchise saw a fully grown Tommy Doyle team up with Dr. Loomis to uncover a sinister plot tied to Michael Myers. This iteration of the character lives across the street from the Myers home, living in constant paranoia of the Boogeyman’s return. Tommy also happens to be played by Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd, who filmed this sequel back-to-back with Clueless, his true breakout role.
Hellraiser IV: Bloodline – Adam Scott
Also known as the sequel set in space, Bloodline introduced the origins of the iconic Cenobite-summoning puzzle box. Actor Adam Scott appears as Jacques, the ambitious assistant to an aristocrat. Jacques opts to wield the box’s power and the demoness tied to it for personal gain and pleasure, putting him directly on the path to gruesome destruction. Long before charming audiences on “Parks and Rec” and “Party Down,” Bloodline showcases a different side to the actor.
Amityville 3D – Meg Ryan
One of Meg Ryan’s earliest roles, years before dominating the romantic comedy scene, was a small part in the 3D threequel in the Amityville franchise. Ryan plays Lisa, the best pal to Lori Loughlin’s Susan Baxter, a teen who runs afoul of the house shortly after the girls play with a Ouija in the Amityville house attic. What could go wrong?
Grizzly II: Revenge – George Clooney, Laura Dern, Charlie Sheen
If you’re looking for a movie to pair with Cocaine Bear, it probably shouldn’t be this long-shelved sequel made in 1983 and officially released in 2020. The messy sequel features another rampaging bear and a slew of brief appearances by now-famous actors. That includes Charlie Sheen in his first credited feature role, along with Laura Dern and George Clooney. If we’re keeping score, Clooney also appeared in the horror spoof sequel Return of the Killer Tomatoes!
Critters 3 – Leonardo DiCaprio
‘Critters 3’ Behind the Scenes
A family unwittingly picks up Crite eggs at a rest stop, which hatch once they return home to their apartment building in this third Critters installment. The reigns have officially been handed over to town goof turned intergalactic bounty hunter Charlie (Don Keith Opper), who arrives in time to help the protagonists with their critter siege. That’s great news for young neighbor Josh, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in his first feature role. The early star appearances don’t stop there in this franchise; look for an early turn by Golden Globe winner Angela Bassett in Critters 4.
Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror – Eva Mendes
If there’s a single horror franchise with a consistent knack for featuring stars well ahead of their breakthrough roles, it’s the Children of the Corn franchise. Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest introduced Charlize Theron in an uncredited role as one of the cult kids, and Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering was led by Naomi Watts shortly after her role in Tank Girl. The fifth entry debuts Eva Mendez among the core group of teens trapped in Gatlin.
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