Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind Yellowstone and its sprawling neo-Western universe, is now setting his sights on a very different frontier—horror. In a twist that has sent shockwaves through both Western and horror fan communities, Sheridan is reportedly one of several major players entering a heated bidding war for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.

According to Deadline, the rights to the iconic horror property—originally created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel—are about to hit the market in a bidding showdown led by Verve, the agency that’s held the IP since 2017. The stakes are high, with the property encompassing film, television, live events, and video games. The auction begins June 9th, and Sheridan’s name on the list of interested producers has immediately turned heads.

Sheridan, a Texas native himself, wouldn’t direct the project, but sources say he would serve as a producer, lending his signature storytelling edge to a franchise known for its raw brutality and Southern Gothic terror. While this may sound like an unusual leap, the themes Sheridan has explored in Yellowstone, 1883, and Tulsa King—grit, legacy, violence, and survival—might just make him the ideal figure to reinvent Leatherface for a new era.

But Sheridan isn’t alone. The bidding table is stacked with visionaries. Horror auteur Oz Perkins and The Strangers director Bryan Bertino have teamed up with Neon for a gritty cinematic pitch. Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, which changed the horror game with Get Out and Us, is also in the mix, reportedly offering to produce a new version through Universal. Meanwhile, Strange Darling’s JT Mollner and producer Roy Lee (of Barbarian and It fame) have joined forces with A24 and actor Glenn Powell for a pitch focused on a serialized TV adaptation.

The interest from such heavyweights underscores a larger trend in Hollywood—prestige horror is back. Following the successful reboots of Halloween, Scream, and Final Destination, franchises that once relied purely on gore are being reexamined through a more cinematic, psychological lens. Sheridan’s involvement could mark a similar evolution for Texas Chainsaw, blending his mastery of character-driven drama with the unrelenting dread that made the 1974 original a cultural touchstone.

Sheridan’s leap into horror may also signal a broader expansion of his creative empire. With Yellowstone concluding its five-season run and multiple spin-offs in the works—including 1923, The Four Sixes, and an untitled series focused on Beth and Rip—Sheridan is no stranger to building sprawling worlds across genres. His involvement could transform Texas Chainsaw Massacre from a slasher legacy into a prestige horror saga.

As the bidding war begins and the knives metaphorically come out, one thing is clear: Texas Chainsaw Massacre may be on the verge of a brutal, brilliant rebirth. And Taylor Sheridan might just be the one holding the chainsaw.

Stay tuned.