Wait, Is Saw XI Not Happening After All? A Report Claims The Horror Franchise Is In Danger And I’m So Bummed
It doesn’t matter if your franchise is trying to get off the ground, or has an established rhythm like that of clockwork, sometimes movies get canceled. Today’s example of that fact upsets me because, after 2023’s Saw X gave new life to John Kramer, it appears that the 2025 movie schedule will not mark the release of its long-promised sequel. At least, that’s what new claims challenging what we know about Saw XI are alleging, and the news just gets worse the deeper you dig.
An unnamed source made several shocking claims when speaking to Bloody-Disgusting about where this upcoming horror movie stands in its lifecycle. Deep rooted Saw fans are going to want to sit down for this, as here’s what was said about the eleventh entry in the franchise:
It’s totally dead. It’s 100% over. Almost a year now. Everything went sideways in January 2024 … the producers started fighting. [Lionsgate] didn’t have anyone to smooth over the disagreement.
That’s not even the worst part. If this anonymous Saw XI source is to be believed, then their claim of the ultimate nightmare scenario is going to chill you to the bone. Allegedly, not only could Lionsgate be selling the franchise they helped build back in 2004, but that might also trigger a reboot of the entire saga.
I don’t know about any of you fellow Saw fans, but I’m ready to say “Oh good gory grief” in frustration. Ok, I’m lying…I already said that, both out loud and in my head; and that’s to be expected. I’d hope anyone who loves this saga was thrilled with not only the tenth film’s theatrical success, but also Saw XI’s initial announcement sending us back to the good old days.
The franchise was reportedly primed to go back to dropping a new chapter every year, each exploring an entirely new point in the Jigsaw timeline. Instead of posthumous flashbacks that got even more complicated in how they brought John Kramer back into the picture, Saw X’s would provided mid-quel story possibilities too good to pass up.
Of course, we’ve now endured a year-long postponement, which may have led to a flat out cancellation. Again, these sources are unnamed, and without official studio statements, it’s hard to say for sure that Saw XI is now locked up in a desolate warehouse that won’t be discovered until several sequels down the line.
Looking to the bright side of death, I do have one inkling of hope that I want to throw out there. If this is indeed the start of Saw being shopped around for a reboot, that does open the door to some interesting possibilities. On the higher end of things, maybe a Blumhouse-produced iteration could get things back to basics; which would be the perfect excuse for James Wan’s hypothetical Saw return.
Or maybe the series can return to its true indie roots and become a Terrifier style saga that pushes the boundaries of censors and audience’s tolerance for gore alike. It will never take the place of what Saw X’s ending promised us all, but at least there are options to keep the IP alive. Much like John Kramer’s infamous ultimatum of “Live or die, it’s your choice,” I choose to keep my mind open until a full and proper “Game Over” has been called.
