Los Angeles, March 18 – The Saw film franchise may come across as disturbing to many, but there is a dedicated section of the audience that enjoys consuming this kind of cinema. However, the latest information about the 11th installment of the long-running horror series may disturb even its most loyal fans. The progress on the upcoming Saw film has reportedly “stalled,” with no updates for screenwriting partners Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan since they submitted a draft in the spring of 2024, according to Female First UK.
Melton, who has been involved in the series since the 2007 entry Saw IV, told 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.” The film was initially confirmed by Lionsgate in December 2023, with Saw X director Kevin Greutert slated to return for the 11th film, aiming for a September 2024 release. However, reports suggest this release has been pushed back by a year, and now the future of the next Saw film is uncertain.
Melton added, “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. 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.” He further explained that the film’s delay was caused by a lack of alignment between producers and Lionsgate. “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,” he said.
The last film, Saw X, saw Tobin Bell reprise his role as the iconic killer Jigsaw (John Kramer), with Shawnee Smith returning as his apprentice Amanda Young. In November 2023, Greutert discussed the possibility of a sequel and admitted that there were already some ideas for a potential storyline. He shared on The Director’s Cut – A DGA Podcast, “There’s a version that picks up immediately where this one leaves off, but it’s way too early to tell.”
In December 2023, Greutert also told The Hollywood Reporter, “We’ll just have to see what the future of Saw is. There are so many directions we could go, but for me, there’s no obvious one coming out of this film. I really wanted it to feel like a kind of final send-off for the Jigsaw character, but never say never.” Later that year, Lionsgate officially announced plans for the next Saw movie with a Saw-style backdrop and Roman numerals, spelling out a September 27, 2024 release date.