Tobe Hooper - Recent Work

Recent Work

In 2002, Hooper directed the pilot for the miniseries Taken. The same year, it was announced that New Line Cinema and Michael Bay would be remaking Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Hooper served as producer on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), which became a box office success, grossing $120 million worldwide. In early 2003, Hooper himself remade a 1970s film entitled The Toolbox Murders (1978). Toolbox Murders (2004) received some of Hooper's best critical reviews in years.

From 2005-2006, Showtime aired the Mick Garris-produced series, Masters of Horror. Hooper directed two episodes, Dance of the Dead (2005) and The Damned Thing (2006). The series allowed Hooper and other directors "final cut" approval, which meant freedom from interference by producers.

In 2004, Hooper started his own film production company, called T.H. Nightmares. So far, no films have emerged under this banner. In late 2006, Hooper talked about possibly producing a TV series, Texas Chainsaw Chronicles. No further details about the series have emerged. In 2007, Hooper was attached to two films, Training Ground and Tequila Joe. Similarly, no details have emerged on these two films since late 2007.

During the summer of 2008, Kim Henkel (co-writer of the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and writer-director of the fourth installment, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)), announced he would write and direct a new Chainsaw film set in the present day, however, nothing is yet known regarding Hooper's involvement in this possible remake. However, in October 2009, Twisted Pictures, the company behind the Saw films, bought the rights to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and plan on making a new Chainsaw film in 3D. Stephen Susco, writer of The Grudge 1 and 2, will serve as screenwriter, while rumors have circulated that Hooper has expressed interest in directing the new reboot.

Hooper had also planned on adapting Stephen King's 2002 novel From a Buick 8. Mick Garris, executive producer of Masters of Horror, was attached as a producer on the film. However, funding could not be produced, so the film has been put on hold.

Hooper began shooting a paranormal thriller, called Djinn in April 2011. The film is in the UAE and will be released in 2012.

In June 2009, it was revealed that Hooper would be writing a horror novel, due to be released in Summer 2011. Midnight Movie, which chronicles the bizarre aftermath of a screening of Hooper's student film Destiny Express, was published by Three Rivers Press in July 2011.

In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss interviewed the director for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror; Hooper appeared in the third episode.