Earlier today, Bloody Disgusting published an article stating that All American Massacre, the long unreleased Texas Chainsaw Massacre spinoff shot in the late 1990s, is finally being completed nearly 25 years later. According to the piece, UK based Dragon Studios and producer Richard Driscoll have restored original footage and are now filming new material to finish the project as a feature.
It is an understandable headline. Horror fans have waited decades for closure on one of the genre’s most infamous unfinished films. But according to multiple people closely connected to the project, the reality is far more complicated and far less reassuring.
What All American Massacre Actually Is
All American Massacre was shot around 1999 and centered on Chop Top, played by Bill Moseley, with William Tony Hooper directing. Originally conceived as a short film, the project expanded without the necessary rights, funding, or post production infrastructure. Legal complications and unfinished work stopped the film cold. It has never been officially released in feature form.
For years, fans have only had access to fragments. A trailer. Promotional stills. Bits of rough footage. No completed cut has ever surfaced.
What Is Being Claimed Now
The Bloody Disgusting article reports that Dragon Studios has restored the original footage and is completing the film with new scenes. A CineBacker campaign is also promoted, offering incentives like credits and appearances, reinforcing the idea that the missing film has been recovered and is now moving toward completion.
According to Edward Payson, director of In Search of All American Massacre: The Lost Texas Chainsaw Film, those claims do not reflect what actually exists.
What Richard Driscoll Actually Has
“He says he found the film and bought it and the parts that are missing,” Payson says. “He’s gonna create with AI in actuality. He got a 16 minute dailies reel from day one before it was even a feature film, which is just stuff from the trailer that anybody can watch right now.”
That dailies reel, Payson explains, also includes behind the scenes material rather than finished narrative footage. It is not a lost feature waiting to be restored.
Reddit Warnings and AI Manipulation
Concerns about the situation have been circulating for months, particularly on Reddit. In a widely shared post titled All American Massacre SCAM ALERT, one user lays out the issue plainly.
“Steven Craine, real name Richard Driscoll, is a convict who was jailed for three years as shared via the BBC in 2013 for VAT fraud related to film production scams.”
The post goes on to describe how Driscoll has used AI manipulated images and footage to suggest he possesses material he does not.
“He has shared several videos with photos taken from the slides, albeit manipulated with AI to look like real footage from the movie,” the post states. “Driscoll is literally scamming and manipulating people, conning beloved horror icons, and he’s getting away with it.”
Another Reddit user who claims to have worked with Driscoll in the past adds further context.
“Him using AI doesn’t surprise me,” the user writes. “Every day seemed like he’d come up with another way of incorporating plagiarism and theft into his work. He’s also notorious for reusing footage across multiple projects.”
Payson echoes these concerns, noting that some AI animated images being circulated come from stills Driscoll did not even purchase himself.
“He then also scanned some eBay listing stills for ones that were for sale that he didn’t buy,” Payson says. “A friend of mine actually did buy them, and have them animated in an AI app and tried to claim it was part of the footage that he bought.”
Richard Driscoll’s Documented History
These concerns are not occurring in a vacuum. In 2013, the BBC reported that Richard Driscoll was sentenced to three years in prison for VAT fraud connected to film production.
According to the BBC, Driscoll “falsified invoices for the costs of making films” and claimed VAT repayments based on production costs of more than £9 million, when the actual costs were less than £1 million.
Sentencing him, the judge stated, “In my opinion this was professionally planned. You used your filming expertise for the content of bogus and false invoices.”
HMRC investigators added that Driscoll “knew [the fraud] was against the law” and used multiple companies “solely to commit the crime.”
This history does not automatically invalidate every future project tied to his name, but it makes verification and transparency especially important when fans are being asked to contribute money.
Based on findings shared by Reddit user Brain_Mutant, BBC reporting indicates he was involved in scams and served prison time in the UK, making fraud nothing new to him. It is a reminder that people should slow down and take a closer look at what is being claimed.
He Does Not Own All American Massacre
Despite claims made on Driscoll’s platforms, Payson stresses that Driscoll does not own All American Massacre or its broader rights.
Tony Hooper, the film’s director, has publicly stated that the current claims surrounding the project are not legitimate and has described the situation as a scam.
Why This Matters
Bloody Disgusting is not being singled out as acting maliciously. Like many outlets, they appear to have reported on information provided to them in good faith. But the situation demonstrates how easily misinformation can spread when a story taps into decades of fan anticipation.
Crowdfunding relies on trust, and horror fans are particularly vulnerable when a long lost project suddenly seems resurrected.
Payson’s documentary, In Search of All American Massacre, exists precisely because the film’s history has been shaped by rumors, misunderstandings, and half truths for years.
A Word of Caution for Fans
The excitement surrounding All American Massacre is understandable. But at present, there is no verified evidence that the missing feature film has been recovered, nor that what is being promoted represents a legitimate continuation of the original project.
Before donating, sharing, or celebrating, fans should take the time to understand what actually exists and what is being created through AI and marketing.
Lost films deserve careful handling. So do the fans who have been waiting decades to see them.
Jessie Hobson