In this forgotten corner of Texas, secrets are buried deep, and the tales they don’t speak of come to life. They dismiss it as the ramblings of an old timer, but some laugh knowing the dark truth that lurks beneath: the face of madness has returned, Leatherface lives.
In 2022, Netflix and Legendary Entertainment’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre added another gory chapter to the enduring story of the iconic, chainsaw-wielding horror villain Leatherface. The quiet town of Harlow, Texas’ hulking and homicidal maniac comes out of retirement for a fresh killing spree after an unsuspecting group of influencers attempt to revitalize and commercialize the area. Now, you can immerse yourself into the horrors of Texas Chainsaw Massacre thanks to Six Flags Fright Fest’s newest Haunted Maze Experience, coming this September to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, NJ and, of course, Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. We have your exclusive first look at the Texas Chainsaw Massacre attraction and all the details behind how it went from conception to completion.
As you can see, the Six Flags Texas Chainsaw Massacre experience boasts much blood and gore to frighten and delight diehard horror fanatics. Several scenes from the film come to life in a brilliant way, including the sunflower field where the sheriff’s van crashes and Leatherface begins his latest reign of terror. There’s also the “crawl of death” that depicts the disgusting catacombs under the orphanage, Harlow’s ominous “dead street,” and the infamous party bus slaughter. (Don’t worry, there are more images below!)
Guests will become the unlucky visitors of this town just as the resurgence of Leatherface happens. He’s donning a new face, revving his chainsaw, and ready to slaughter any unfortunate soul who crosses his path. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre maze will be like climbing into your television and straight into the a horror show.
“You will follow the movie in a linear fashion,” says Allison Fox from RWS Global, who partnered with Six Flags and Legendary Entertainment to craft this experience. “So you’ll see some iconic moments. You’re going to see Sally [Hardesty] in her barn getting ready to fight. You’re going to see the orphanage. You will witness a murder from underneath the bed just like Melody did in the orphanage… You’ll see the iconic party bus, and then you get to see Sally and Leatherface’s showdown, which doesn’t really end well for Sally. And then there’s the grand finale, which I’m not even going to talk about, because you have to experience it yourself!”
With chilling and intense scenes like these, it’s clear why this film was chosen for a Six Flags maze experience. “We wanted to do Halloween no other year, and so we started ideating around the concept of bringing IP [intellectual property] to elevate the experience because movies that are about Halloween are the ultimate scare,” said Edithann “EA” Ramey, the Chief Fright Officer at Six Flags. (Yes, EA has the coolest title and job ever: to create haunted houses and immersive experiences during Fright Fest season.)
“I actually went online and googled what the top franchises are when it comes to [horror], because I don’t love to be scared,” Ramey continued. “So I had to educate myself on what was out there. That particular movie’s IP is at the top and we are based in Dallas, Texas… When I had conversations with our operators about my working list of potential IP, they were like, ‘you have to have Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’ [There were] all these people on our team saying it’s kind of part of our DNA.”
Both Six Flags and RWS Global acknowledge the expertise of Legendary Entertainment with not only this film but with the franchise as a whole. Similar to the theme park’s Fright Fest endeavors, Legendary’s aim during Halloween season is to celebrate its horror franchises in innovative ways.
“When it came to Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022), I was tasked with finding a partner who could match our passion and embrace the film’s unique blend of fresh twists and sheer madness,” said Amado Trevino, Director of Interactive Media & Experiences for Legendary Entertainment. “We found that perfect partner in Six Flags, whose commitment to delivering the ultimate Fright Fest experience made them the ideal collaborator. With the expertise of RWS behind us, we knew we had the perfect recipe for a truly unforgettable event.”
Fox and her RWS team had the challenging yet thrilling task of figuring out how to translate Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s most terrifying aspects to reality. According to Fox, it was not only about maintaining the authenticity of this film but also honoring the franchise’s overall legacy as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“This is the first time that this film has been turned into a live experience anywhere,” Fox tells us. “It was challenging because we wanted to see all of it. And you can’t build a lot of this particular movie in practical environments. So the first step was saying, ‘Okay, we need these scenes to tell a cohesive story to understand what’s happening.’ And then the second step was, ‘Can we build these things in a practical environment and still execute them?’ And we surprised ourselves, to be honest.”
Out of all the scenes, there’s one that everyone believes will thrill guests the most. “One of, I think, and the brand agrees, the best scenes in this maze is the party bus massacre,” Fox continues. “It’s probably the most intense, fantastic scene in the movie. So to be able to recreate that scene was great. Guests are walking onto the bus and don’t know where Leatherface is coming from. There’s piles of bodies and blood and rain and thunder happening outside, and it’s super disorienting. Bringing that into a practical environment was like, ‘We did it!’ It’s really going to be something spectacular.”
Ramey hopes that Six Flags guests who experience this attraction will leave and tell others about how awesome it is… and perhaps want another round with Leatherface. “I want my guests to walk out of this experience having felt like it was real and a great representation of the film,” affirms Ramey. “I want them to feel like they went through something fantastic, and I want them to say, ‘I want to do it again.’ and get back in line!”
“This experience promises non-stop scares, jaw-dropping moments, and a level of immersion that’ll stick with you,” adds Trevino. “So, gear up to face your fears and find out what all the “buzz” is about.”
Do you have what it takes to survive Leatherface’s wrath? Find the answer to that question when the Texas Chainsaw Massacre experience opens at Six Flags Great Adventure and Six Flags Over Texas in September. It will continue its reign of terror until November 3. For more information, head to Six Flags Fright Fest’s website.
During this year’s Fright Fest, guests will also have the option to be transported into the eerie realms of Netflix’s Stranger Things and Army of the Dead, Legendary Entertainment’s Trick r’ Treat, Lionsgate’s SAW as well as Warner Bros./New Line’s The Conjuring universe. Specific mazes do vary by park…please check local websites for full details.
Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.