"Saw XI Delayed: Lionsgate and Producer Clashes"

It's hard to believe, but it appears to be game over for the Saw franchise, at least for the foreseeable future. The much-anticipated Saw XI has hit a snag and will not meet its original fall release date. This news comes as a disappointment to fans eagerly awaiting the next installment in the long-running horror series.

However, the delay is not due to creative issues. According to Saw XI screenwriter Patrick Melton in an interview with 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." Melton, along with his writing partner Marcus Dunstan, submitted a draft of the script in spring 2024, nearly a year ago. Melton elaborated, "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."

The project had frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert attached back in December 2023, with an initial release date set for September 2024. The delay pushed the film to a new release window in September 2025, leaving fans disappointed yet hopeful that the extra time would enhance the storyline, especially following the success of Saw X. The 10th installment revitalized the franchise, earning over $120 million globally, which naturally spurred excitement and anticipation for Saw XI.

Adding to the frustration, Saw XI was poised to tackle a relevant and timely topic. While plot details remain under wraps, Melton drew parallels 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), exacts revenge on a group of health insurance executives. Melton expressed his hopes for the project, stating, "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 further explained, "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." Given the current global climate, it would have been fascinating to see how the Saw franchise revisited these themes and presented them in a fresh context. Unfortunately, it seems we may never get to see this vision come to life.