Texas Chainsaw Massacre star Nell Hudson has defended the new ‘woke’ sequel amid the prospect of another instalment.
Netflix released its continuation of the iconic horror franchise last Friday, with Leatherface back to wreak havoc on his small Texan hometown armed with his favourite lethal weapon.
It has received a thoroughly mixed response, with many fans loving the fresh take and slick cinematography from David Blue Garcia but others criticising the Gen-Z modern spin on the well-known story.
The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel boasts somewhat of a diverse cast including Jacob Latimore, who plays Dante, and Jessica Allain, who stars as Catherine. The subplot also sees the group of idealistic friends invest in the rundown town with hopes of bringing it back to life.
Addressing the ‘woke’ spin on the classic horror, Nell – who plays Ruth – told Metro.co.uk: ‘When I first read the script I was struck by how modern it was. Obviously, you have a preconception about horror and what to expect, but there’s a real Gen-Z feel to the script.
‘The way the characters spoke and were directed felt very real so that was exciting for me as a performer.’
She added: ‘You have to reflect what the world and your audience looks like and you have to stay relevant.
‘The people who see this film will, I imagine, be younger, but you’ll also have fans of the original as well. I think even in the context of horror, for me as an actress it’s important for the characters to feel real and two-dimensional otherwise it’s never going to be a gripping story.’
An end credits scene has left fans wondering if there could be a sequel to the sequel and Nell is pretty hopeful.
‘I think based on how it ends you could definitely explore what happens next,’ she said. ‘I think that Leatherface is a character that people don’t get tired of, I think that this one is a real standout.