In the slasher world, some horror movie icons reign supreme amongst the scary killers that have made up the genre. Friday the 13th has Jason Voorhees, A Nightmare on Elm Street has Freddy Krueger, Texas Chainsaw Massacre has Leatherface, and Halloween has Michael Myers. While not being nearly as popular as many of these slasher villains, there is one slasher who has been a beloved icon in the horror community for decades. First arriving in 2006, many thought a fan-favorite film would never receive a sequel, but good news, slasher enthusiasts, Leslie Vernon isn’t finished with stalking his victims just yet.
Following its release in 2006, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon became a cult favorite for horror fans worldwide. In this meta-slasher movie, a documentary film crew follows a slasher who is stalking his victims, making plenty of references to other creepy movies of the medium. Now, fans will welcome back Leslie Vernon as the filmmakers have confirmed a sequel is in the works. Behind The Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon will bring back director Scott Glosserman and writer David J. Stieve, as well as the original stars Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund. No release window has been revealed, but the creators are set on creating a Kickstarter to make the sequel become a reality.
Speaking to Variety, Glosserman confirmed that fan feedback was a big part of bringing Leslie Vernon back to the screen, “For 20 years, people have asked if Leslie would ever come back. The truth is, he never really left. Fans kept this movie alive by sharing it, quoting it, introducing it to their friends, and treating it like something worth holding onto. This sequel is happening because of them.” The director also noted that even without the Kickstarter campaign, they would still make the long-awaited sequel. “We’re making the movie either way, but the more the audience gets involved, the bigger we can make it. Bigger set pieces. More cameos. More surprises. This has always been a fan-driven film, and it still is.”
One of the best parts of the original Behind the Mask was how the characters hilariously discussed the tropes of the slasher genre, while routinely referencing other villains that hacked their way through the horror world. Leslie Vernon himself was no slouch, though he certainly didn’t have a supernatural force backing him up like other slashers. Instead, the mask-wearing killer documented how he would chase his victims while informing the documentary film crew just how he could be a successful killer. With the original finale leaving the door open for the series to continue, it will be interesting to see what the story of Behind the Mask II will ultimately be. Vernon might not be on the same level as Voorhees, Myers, and Krueger, but the upcoming sequel might change that.
What do you think of Leslie Vernon returning to theaters after a twenty-year hiatus? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
