It’s hard to believe that it’s been all of two decades since Scott Glosserman’s (The Truth Below) savagely satirical shockumentary Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon introduced us to its eager, up-and-coming serial killer. Alongside a similarly self-aware slasher satire, Tucker & Dale vs Evil, it’s one of the projects that defined self-mordant meta movies this side of 2000 for this writer. The latter gets a mention here because both have been the subject of sequel speculation time and again over the years.
Now, during a special twentieth anniversary screening of Behind the Mask, Glosserman and writer David J. Stieve confirmed that a sequel, Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon, is officially in the works, as reported in Variety.
Both Glosserman and Stieve will reprise their respective directing and writing duties, and, all the more exciting for fans, the film will reunite Nathan Baesel’s Vernon with original co-stars Angela Goethals (Taylor Gentry) and Robert Englund (Doc Halloran).
For those unfamiliar with the original film, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon follows a documentary crew granted exclusive, behind-the-mask access to a horror icon in the making as he makes final preparations to instil terror in the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing every slasher genre trope in the book.
After years of fans calling for Leslie Vernon’s return, Glosserman says the answer has been hiding in plain sight – much like many slasher villains. “For twenty 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.”
That fan loyalty is now being folded directly into the sequel, with a Kickstarter campaign encouraging audiences to help shape it. The film is happening regardless, but its scale is up for grabs. “We’re making the movie either way,” Glosserman promises. “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.”
Production comes via Paper Street Pictures, with Aaron B. Koontz and Cameron Burns onboard, alongside executive producer Adam F. Goldberg.
