Who is Leatherface Based on: What Mental Illness Does They Have?

By Aarush Sharma On Nov 25, 2022

Leatherface is a fictional character created by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series.

In The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, he first appears as a cannibalistic and mentally unstable mass murderer who, along with his family, kidnaps, kills, and cooks unsuspecting travelers who come too close to their ranch in Kingsland, Texas.

The character’s name is derived from his human skin masks. Leatherface’s signature weapon is the chainsaw, but he has also killed his victims with cleavers and hammers. The character was heavily influenced by real-life murderer Ed Gein, who also wore human skin masks.

Texas Chain Saw Massacre Game’s Leatherface is the Best Horror Crossover

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre video game will be a tribute to the terrifying film franchise, but it will also cross over with another slasher series.

The upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre game from Sumo Digital and Gun Interactive will pit a group of survivors against the dreaded Leatherface, but the killer’s true identity is an exciting horror crossover.

Four survivors will work together to escape the Slaughter family farm while being pursued by three ruthless killers in the asymmetric multiplayer title. The title promises to be a heartfelt love letter to the grotesque series of slasher films, and a cast of big-screen stars will help round out the tribute.

The multiplayer Texas Chain Saw Massacre game appears to immerse players in the original 1974 slasher film through meticulous attention to detail. The maps in the game feature imagery from the beloved horror film, with the gas station map and the Slaughter family’s home being nearly exact replicas of the sets used during filming.

This will help to capture The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s distinct rural vibe, while also providing fans with a treat when they notice memorable landmarks. This devotion to the source material extends to gameplay as well, because Leatherface was not the only murderer in the original 1974 film.

Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre – the original 1974. PSA: It is NOT based on a true story – the entire storyline is fictional. Only a few details from Ed Gein’s house were integrated into the story.#Leatherface #TexasChainsawMassacre #horror pic.twitter.com/XaRPJeTJWb

— Natalie Krueger (@nataliekrueger6) December 9, 2019

The franchise’s face is the chainsaw-wielding cannibal, but in both the film and game, he’s joined by family members like The Cook and The Hitchhiker.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: 2022 Version of Leatherface Gets an Action Figure

When a new installment in a popular slasher franchise is released, action figures based on the slasher seen in the new film are almost unavoidable. A new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film was released on Netflix in February, and the version of Leatherface featured in that film is now getting an action figure courtesy of Hiya Toys.

Some images of this Leatherface action figure can be found at the bottom of this article, and more can be found at Entertainment Earth. The figure can also be pre-ordered through that link. It is scheduled to ship in April 2023.

Here are the details of the action figure:

“Standing about 4 3/4-inches tall, this Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2022 Leatherface Exquisite Mini 1:18 Scale Action Figure – Previews Exclusive features film-accurate details from Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) and includes 1x pair of interchangeable hands. With 15 points of articulation, you can easily pose and dynamically recreate your favorite horrifying scenes!

The recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by David Blue Garcia from a script by Chris Thomas Devlin (based on a story by producers Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues), had the following official synopsis:

”After nearly 50 years of hiding, Leatherface returns to terrorize a group of idealistic young friends who accidentally disrupt his carefully shielded world in a remote Texas town.

Melody (Sarah Yarkin), her teenage sister Lila (Elsie Fisher), and their friends Dante (Jacob Latimore) and Ruth (Nell Hudson) travel to the remote town of Harlow, Texas, to launch an idealistic new business venture. But their dream quickly turns into a waking nightmare when they accidentally disrupt the home of Leatherface, the deranged serial killer whose blood-soaked legacy continues to haunt the area’s residents — including Sally Hardesty (Olwen Fouéré), the sole survivor of his infamous 1973 massacre who’s hell-bent on vengeance.

Moe Dunford, Jessica Allain, Sam Douglas, William Hope, Jolyon Coy, and Alice Krige join the cast, which also includes Mark Burnham as Leatherface. John Larroquette, who narrated the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s opening text crawl and was also heard in the remake and the remake’s prequel, was brought back to narrate the opening of this film as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Leatherface have a real name?

In the sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre II, the name of the Leatherface was revealed to be Bubba Sawyer. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, released in 2003, adapted a different storyline and changed Leatherface’s real name to Thomas Brown Hewitt.

What Mental Illness Does Leatherface Have?

Leatherface Did, in Fact, Have an Intellectual Disability (Basically, Mental Retardation), Having Been Diagnosed With a Degenerative Neuro Disorder When He Was Only 12 Years Old. After Being Abandoned in a Dumpster at a Meat Packing Plant, Leatherface Was Raised by the Hewitts/sawyers (Depending on Which Movie).

Does Leatherface Have a Daughter?

Babi Sawyer Appears as a Supporting Character in Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Iii. She is Leatherface’s Daughter and a Member of the Sawyer Family.