It's hard to fathom, but it appears the game is up for the Saw franchise, at least for the foreseeable future. The eagerly awaited Saw XI has been officially put on hold and will miss its planned fall release.
This delay, however, isn't due to creative differences. Patrick Melton, the screenwriter for Saw XI, shared with The Hollywood Reporter, "We haven’t heard anything since May. It’s stalled at a managerial level. It has nothing to do with the creative or anything else. There’s higher-level things at play."
Melton and his co-writer Marcus Dunstan handed in a draft of the script back in the spring of 2024, nearly a year ago. Melton further explained, "The reason it’s held up is just, there’s inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate. They just can’t quite get on the same page."
Originally set to hit theaters in September 2024 under the direction of frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert, fans were devastated when the film's release was pushed back an entire year to September 2025. Many hoped this delay would enhance the story, especially following the success of Saw X. The 10th film revitalized the series, pulling in over $120 million worldwide during its theatrical run, spurring executives to greenlight Saw XI.
Adding to the disappointment, Saw XI was poised to tackle a relevant issue. While plot details remain under wraps, Melton drew parallels to Saw VI, which he co-wrote with Dunstan and was directed by Gruetert. In Saw VI, protagonist John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), exacted vengeance on health insurance executives.
"Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that," Melton told THR.
"It taps into the same themes of Saw VI, where you’re a citizen, you feel angry and frustrated with something, you feel like you can’t do anything, and John Kramer’s going to do it." Given the current state of the world, it would be fascinating to see the Saw franchise revisit these themes and approach them in a new way — though, unfortunately, it seems we may never get the chance.
