It's a shocking turn of events for fans of the Saw franchise: the eagerly anticipated Saw XI has been officially delayed and will miss its scheduled fall release. This news has left many wondering about the future of the iconic horror series.
According to Saw XI screenwriter Patrick Melton in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the delay isn't due to creative differences. "We haven’t heard anything since May," Melton explained. "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 and his writing partner Marcus Dunstan handed in a script draft in spring 2024, nearly a year ago, but progress has been halted by 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," Melton added.
Originally, frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert was set to helm Saw XI, which was slated for a September 2024 release. However, fans were devastated when the film was pushed back to September 2025. This delay came as a surprise, especially after the success of Saw X, the 10th installment that revitalized the franchise with over $120 million in global box office earnings. The success of Saw X had heightened anticipation and expectations for Saw XI.
Adding to the disappointment, Saw XI was poised to explore a relevant and timely theme. Although plot details remain under wraps, Melton hinted that the film would echo the themes of Saw VI, which he co-wrote with Dunstan and was directed by Gruetert. In Saw VI, the protagonist John Kramer, also known as Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), targets 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 further 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 storyline could have offered a fresh take on current societal frustrations, but it appears that fans may never get to see this vision come to life.
