It's a surprising turn of events for fans of the Saw franchise: the eagerly awaited Saw XI has hit a snag and won't be hitting theaters this fall as initially planned. This isn't a matter of creative differences, but rather a standstill at the managerial level. Patrick Melton, the screenwriter for Saw XI, revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that there's been radio silence 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 explained.
Melton, along with his writing partner Marcus Dunstan, turned in their script draft back in the spring of 2024, nearly a year ago. The hold-up, according to Melton, stems from internal disagreements between the 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.
Kevin Gruetert, a frequent director in the franchise, was set to helm Saw XI back in December 2023, with an initial release slated for September 2024. However, fans were devastated to learn of a year-long delay, pushing the new release to September 2025. This delay came despite the success of Saw X, the 10th installment, which revitalized the franchise by grossing over $120 million worldwide. The anticipation for Saw XI was high, especially given the box office triumph of its predecessor.
Adding to the disappointment, Saw XI was poised to tackle a pertinent issue. While plot specifics remain under wraps, Melton hinted that the storyline would resonate with themes similar to those in Saw VI, which he and Dunstan wrote, and Gruetert directed. In Saw VI, John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), exacted revenge 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 shared with THR. He elaborated, "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." This approach would have brought the franchise back to its roots of social commentary, reflecting current societal frustrations. Unfortunately, it now seems uncertain whether fans will ever see this intriguing narrative unfold on screen.
