Mind-Blowing Success: Unveiling How the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Prequel Soared on Netflix, Surpassing the Legacy Sequel's Flop!

Summary

Leatherface, a critically panned horror movie, surprisingly became a hit on Netflix, ranking eighth in the global top 10 with 2.9 million views.

The movie's surprising success on Netflix can be attributed to Leatherface's resurgence during the Halloween season and the heightened popularity of horror movies at this time.

The horror movie Leatherface, widely criticized by critics, unexpectedly becomes a hit on Netflix. Released in 2017, Leatherface is a prequel film in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Directed by duo Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury, Leatherface received negative feedback from critics, garnering only a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, Leatherface gets a second chance and emerges as a popular choice on Netflix. According to Netflix, the movie surprisingly made its way into the global top 10 during the week of September 11 to September 17. It secured the eighth position with 2.9 million views. The list also included other titles like the top-ranked Love at First Sight with 14.1 million views, Adam Sandler's comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah at second place with 4.3 million views, and The Boss Baby, which has remained in the top 10 for 13 weeks.

Leatherface Is One of Several Netflix Horror Hits In 2023

Leatherface's unexpected placement on the global top 10 list is surprising given the movie's history. Despite being a prequel to the immensely popular horror franchise Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Leatherface performed poorly at the box office, only earning a meager $1.4 million worldwide, with an unspecified budget. It also had the second-lowest global box office earnings in the franchise, surpassing only Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, which earned a paltry $186 thousand.

However, Leatherface's resurgence is not unprecedented this year, especially on Netflix. With the arrival of autumn and the Halloween season, it is possible that the sudden increase in views for Leatherface is due to its alignment with the spooky atmosphere. Another movie, The Pope's Exorcist, also managed to make it to the top 10 list despite its modest performance in theaters. Although The Pope's Exorcist did better than Leatherface at the box office, it also experienced an unexpected resurgence on Netflix.

Netflix released the ninth installment of the horror franchise, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, last year. It achieved global success, ranking at No. 3 on the charts. However, there have been no updates on any new sequels following the conclusion of the 2022 movie. Nevertheless, the triumph of Texas Chainsaw Massacre on Netflix demonstrates how lesser-known films can gain prominence through streaming. As October approaches, it will be intriguing to discover what other horror movies may emerge.