New Saw Movie: Wan & Whannell Return for Sequel | Horror News
James Wan will return to direct the next installment in the Saw franchise, marking his first time in the director’s chair for the series in nearly two decades. The announcement came during a legacy screening of the original 2004 film at the Sundance Film Festival, according to multiple reports.
Wan, alongside writer Leigh Whannell, spearheaded the initial success of the horror series. Whannell is similarly confirmed to pen the screenplay for the upcoming film, a collaboration that signals a return to the roots of the franchise. “Leigh and I, we’re not going to give too much away, but we don’t think you can make a Saw movie without Jigsaw,” Wan stated at the Sundance event, emphasizing the importance of Tobin Bell’s character to the series’ identity. He further noted their intention to recapture “the spirit of the original first movie,” focusing on Jigsaw’s philosophy and motivations.
The development of this new Saw film follows a period of uncertainty for the franchise. A previously greenlit project, Saw XI, was canceled in 2023 due to internal disagreements between producers, with one attempting to move forward while the other actively created roadblocks. The cancellation occurred after Blumhouse Productions acquired a 50% stake in the franchise, alongside Lionsgate, which retained its existing 50% share and will continue to handle production and distribution.
Wan’s return comes after a hiatus from directing horror films, his most recent directorial work being Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Whannell has continued to work in the genre, with credits including Upgrade and The Invisible Man. The pair’s involvement is seen as a positive sign by industry observers, suggesting a deliberate effort to avoid simply capitalizing on the franchise’s name. According to Gizmodo, Wan and Whannell intend to make “another scary Saw movie,” a shift from the later sequels which focused more on elaborate traps and gore.
The new film will be the tenth installment in the series, following 2023’s Saw X. The franchise is known for its complex timeline and attempts to subvert audience expectations, often revealing a film’s placement within the series only after the credits roll. Wan and Whannell acknowledged this tendency, stating they will be “mindful and respectful of what fans have loved about the soapy nature of the entire franchise.”