Famed German music video and commercials director Marcus Nispel has signed to direct the reconceptualisation of Tobe Hooper's cult classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre which is set to begin shooting in Austin, Texas, this July.

The film is being produced by Michael Bay's lower budget production outfit Platinum Dunes and Ted Field and Scott Kroopf's Radar Pictures with New Line Cinema handling domestic rights and Good Machine International aka Focus International handling international sales.

Nispel, who infamously exited Beacon Pictures' End Of Days at the 11th hour in 1998, has directed over 1,000 music videos and commercials working with companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co as well as artists like No Doubt and Janet Jackson.

The new Massacre will be less gory than the original, while sticking to the story of five twentysomethings touring rural Texas who fall foul of a monstrous clan and are slowly whittled away by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.

Platinum Dunes was formed by Bay last November and is run by Bay's partners Andrew Form and Brad Fuller. Bay, Form and Fuller will produce the film alongside Michael Fliess of Next Entertainment; Field and Next's Jeff Allard will executive produce.

David Boyle, executive vice president of business and legal affairs, brokered the deal for Radar. Nispel is represented by CAA and David Weber of Bloom, Hergott, Diemer and Cook.