Tobe Hooper to direct new Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel?

Could the director of The Best Horror Movie Of All Time be returning to the franchise to start it anew? Strap on your leather face and yank on your buzzsaw - it's speculation time!

Rumours have popped up on the web that Tobe Hooper, director of the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, may be called upon to direct a new sequel. While we'd love to cut this particular fancy down with a hedge-trimmer and squeal like a pig, we can't - there just might be weight to it.

Hooper was allegedly spotted at an after-party for the wretched Saw VI cosying up to the team at Twisted Pictures. If I were an Entertainment Tonight reporter, I'd be asking the big question: is there a love story brewing?

Rights for the Chainsaw Massacre franchise recently passed from Michael Bay's Douche Unit Platinum Dunes to Twisted Pictures, the studio behind the Saw movies. Which is a little like rescuing a beautiful princess from an ogre then taking her back to your crack den, but still.

Hooper could be a great coup for Twisted Pictures, especially if they want some credibility for their proposed Chainsaw picture. Thought to be a sequel proper and not a continuation for the good-but-not-great Platinum Dunes prequels, Hooper's involvement in the new flick would certainly amount to pleasing fan service.

That is, until you remember he hasn't made a decent film since the original Chainsaw in '74 and it's good-but-not-great sequel. I hear good things about The Toolbox Murders, but it looks and sounds so similar, he might as well have called it The Shmexas Shmainsaw Shmassacre.