BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON Sequel Officially Announced

Exciting news was announced last night at an anniversary screening of Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon: a sequel is officially happening, and we have all the details!

From the Official Press Release: Twenty years after BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON first introduced audiences to one of horror’s most unusual aspiring slashers, director Scott Glosserman and writer David J. Stieve have confirmed that the long-awaited sequel, BEHIND THE MASK II: THE RETURN OF LESLIE VERNON, is officially moving forward.

The film reunites Glosserman and Stieve with original stars Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund, returning as Leslie Vernon, Taylor Gentry, and Doc Halloran, respectively.

When the original film premiered, it quietly carved out its own place inside the slasher canon — a movie made for horror fans who already knew the rules and loved watching them get twisted. Over the past two decades, Leslie Vernon never disappeared. The film kept traveling from fan to fan, convention to convention, late-night screening to late-night screening, building the kind of following most movies only dream about.

This sequel exists because of that audience.

Glosserman stated, “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.”

As part of that process, the filmmakers are launching a Kickstarter campaign that invites fans to participate directly in the making of BEHIND THE MASK II. The film is already moving forward, but the campaign opens the doors for the community that kept Leslie Vernon alive for twenty years to join the journey early — helping shape how big and ambitious the sequel can be while building the audience at the same time the movie itself is being made. “We’re making the movie either way,” Glosserman said. “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.”

The film is being produced by Paper Street Pictures, the filmmaker-first genre company led by Aaron B. Koontz and Cameron Burns, whose passion for the original film helped keep the possibility of a sequel alive over the years. Glosserman added: “Aaron, Cam, and the entire Paper Street team never stopped believing there was more story to tell with Leslie. Their support and persistence over the years made a huge difference in getting us here. They’ve built a home for bold horror filmmakers, and I couldn’t imagine making this sequel with anyone else.” Adam F. Goldberg (The Goldbergs, Shelby Oaks) will also serve as an executive producer.

For Glosserman, the sequel also marks a personal return to directing after spending the past decade helping other filmmakers connect directly with their audiences through his company GATHR. “I stepped away from directing for a while to build tools that help filmmakers connect directly with their audiences,” he said. “Coming back to Leslie now means we get to use those tools with the fans who kept the movie alive for twenty years. They won’t just be watching the sequel when it’s finished — they’ll be helping bring it into theaters, hosting screenings, and expanding who gets to see it. It lets the release grow out of the community that’s been there all along.”