“Mr. Selfridge” actress Jessica Madsen will join Sam Strike and James Bloor in “Leatherface,” the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” prequel gearing up for production at Millennium Films, TheWrap has learned.
Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, the French filmmakers behind cult hit “Inside,” are directing the horror movie, which was written by Seth M. Sherwood.
The film, which explores Leatherface’s early years in the 1970s, will be presented as a mystery of sorts about three teenage psychopaths, one of whom grows up to be the chainsaw-wielding maniac.
Strike and Bloor will play budding young psychopaths, while Madsen will play an escaped mental patient.
Carl Mazzocone is producing “Leatherface” with Christa Campbell and Lati Grobman after they successfully resurrected the “Texas Chainsaw” franchise in 2013. Les Weldon is also a producer on the project, which is being executive produced by Millennium’s Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Boaz Davidson, John Thompson, Mark Gill and Beth Bruckner O’Brien.
A recent graduate of The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Madsen’s credits include “Breathless” for ITV, “Babylon” for Channel 4 and the Sky Arts Playhouse film “Timeless.” Most recently, she appeared in the three-hander “Swimming,” which was performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Madsen is represented by Troika and Thruline Entertainment.