Saw XI scrapped as Blumhouse takes Saw IP, Wan returns

The Saw franchise has entered a new phase of uncertainty after plans for Saw XI were scrapped in the wake of internal disagreements between Twisted Pictures cofounders and its sales of the IP. The proposed eleventh installment had been in development at Lionsgate with a release targeted for September 2025 and would have picked up the story just 30 seconds after Saw X ended. Instead, the movie never moved forward, and the rights to the franchise later shifted to Blumhouse, with James Wan re-entering the fold in a leadership capacity. The result is a reset of the franchise’s creative trajectory and a reorganization of who controls its future.

The core reason cited by Oren Koules, a founder of Twisted Pictures, for Saw XI’s cancellation was a fundamental disagreement over execution between him and his partner, Mark Burg. Koules described a script that had been developed by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton and a planned return of key talent, including Synnøve Macody Lund, who played Cecilia Pederson in Saw X. “The script that we had was going to take place 30 seconds after Saw X ended,” he said, noting that while the elements were in place, the producers could not reach a...