The first look at the upcoming prequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface is here and it looks pretty bloody. The last time we got to see some action from the legendary horror character of Leatherface was in 2013's Texas Chainsaw 3D, which was a direct sequel to the original 1974 classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which ignored the 2nd and 3rd movies as well as the remakes. Though it made some money at the box office, it was hailed as terrible by critics and fans alike, many calling it laughable. So it's about time that we get some news on the upcoming prequel.

Leatherface is an exclusive DirecTV release set for September 21, 2017. But those wanting to revel in the gore up on the big screen will get their wish, with a limited theatrical run and full VOD release through Lionsgate set in time for Halloween, hitting October 20, 2017!

Bloody Disgusting has obtained a few pictures from the set of Leatherface and were able to briefly talk to directors Julian Maury and Alexandre Bustillo about the prequel. The pictures show a few characters covered in blood walking through a forest-type setting along, with another woman covered in blood climbing out of a dead animal. The directors have said that the upcoming movie is a "brutal and nihilistic road movie that we hope will surprise and delight the fans..."

Preproduction started in early 2014 for Leatherface, and most of the casting and production was completed in 2015. The movie stars Stephen Dorff as Texas Ranger Hal Hartman, Lilli Taylor as Verna Sawyer, and Sam Strike as Jackson. Filming took place in Bulgaria, mostly for budget reasons. Since the movie takes place in the 1960s, cars from that era needed to be found and the crew had to look for spots around Bulgaria that resembled the look of Texas in the 1960s. It was announced in May that the movie would finally see the light of day in October of 2017, but no other information had been given at that time.

Serving as a direct prequel to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface was written by Seth M. Sherwood to act as a prelude to the series as a whole. Sherwood distanced himself on purpose from the remakes as well as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, while respecting the events of the original movies in the series. The characterization of Leatherface is based off of Gunnar Harrison's performance in the original movie.

Excitement is high for Leatherface for fans expecting a return to form for a series that desperately needs it. Though no official release date has been given, October of this year would be a perfect time to see the prequel for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to compete with a remake of Stephen King's IT, Death Note, and the return of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. The demand is there for the prequel, let's just hope that the directors pulled off their vision of bringing the series back to its horrifying roots. Hopefully we'll get to see the finished project in October, but for now, check out the first pictures from the set of the upcoming prequel.