It's hard to believe, but it looks like the curtain may be falling on the Saw franchise, at least temporarily. The highly anticipated Saw XI, originally slated for a fall release, has been officially delayed. According to reports, the film will not hit theaters as planned.
This delay isn't due to creative differences, as confirmed by Saw XI screenwriter Patrick Melton in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "We haven’t heard anything since May," Melton stated. "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 writing partner Marcus Dunstan submitted a draft of the script back in the spring of 2024, nearly a year ago. The reason for the hold-up, Melton explained, is due to "inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate. They just can’t quite get on the same page."
Originally, frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert was set to helm Saw XI, with a release date set for September 2024. However, fans were disappointed when the release was pushed back a full year to September 2025. Many hoped this delay was to enhance the story, especially following the success of Saw X. The tenth installment had revitalized the franchise, earning over $120 million worldwide during its theatrical run, which naturally spurred excitement for Saw XI.
What makes this delay even more frustrating is that Saw XI was poised to explore a timely and relevant topic. Although plot details remain under wraps, Melton drew comparisons to Saw VI, which he co-wrote with Dunstan and was directed by Gruetert. In Saw VI, John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), targets 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 shared with THR. He elaborated that the film would resonate with themes similar to those in 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 have been fascinating to see the Saw franchise revisit these themes and how they might be approached differently. Unfortunately, it seems we may never get to see this vision come to life.
