It’s been 20 years since 'Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon' introduced a fresh kind of slasher icon, and fans have been asking for a sequel ever since. After a few false starts, it’s finally happening.
Director Scott Glosserman and writer David J. Stieve officially announced Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon during a 20th anniversary screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown LA.
Glosserman and Stieve are both returning, along with original cast members Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund, who reprise their roles as Leslie Vernon, Taylor Gentry, and Doc Halloran.
The 2006 film followed a documentary crew given rare access to an up-and-coming slasher as he planned his killing spree in the quiet town of Glen Echo.
“For twenty years, people have asked if Leslie would come back,” Glosserman said. “The truth is, he never really left. Fans kept the movie alive - sharing it, quoting it, and introducing it to others. This sequel is happening because of them.”
To support the project, the team is launching a Kickstarter campaign that lets fans get involved in bringing the sequel to life. The film is already in motion, but the campaign will help determine just how big and ambitious it can be.
“We’re making the movie either way,” Glosserman added. “But the more fans get involved, the bigger we can go - bigger set pieces, more cameos, more surprises. This has always been a fan-driven film, and it still is.”
