‘Saw’: James Wan Confirms He Will Direct Next Instalment — Leigh Whannell to Pen Screenplay [Updated]

UPDATE: The original source (UPI) seems to have retracted its headline.

EARLIER: For the first time in nearly 20 years, I’m genuinely excited for the next instalment of a franchise I’ve long ignored.

James Wan has confirmed (via UPI) plans to direct the next “Saw” movie, and not just that — the talented Leigh Whannell (“Upgrade,” “The Invisible Man”) will write the screenplay.

Wan and Whannell spoke at a legacy screening of the original “Saw” at the Sundance Film Festival, where they announced the news.

Here’s what Wan had to say…

We want to hark back to the spirit of the original film. We want to make another scary Saw movie […] we definitely want to go back to the spirit of the first film.

Blumhouse Productions recently acquired a 50% stake in the Saw franchise, while Lionsgate retained its 50% share and will continue as a production and distribution partner. A total of ten Saw movies have already been released, with the last one being 2023’s “Saw X.”

Back in 2023, “Saw XI” had been greenlit by Lionsgate and given a 09.27.24 release date. A few months later, it was reported that “Saw XI” had been canceled. Why? Well, producers started fighting. One producer attempted to “plow forward” with the film, while the other “put up roadblocks,” stifling Saw XI’s production. This bad blood resulted in a refusal to compromise.

Fact: the first Saw film is still the most interesting one—a mostly confined-to-one-set, memorable horror thriller that felt somewhat fresh back in the day. Anything after that was a way for Lionsgate to milk this franchise to death.

Having Wan back, along with Whannell, who wrote the first three installments, is a good indication that producers don’t want this one to just be another cash grab. It should also be noted that Wan — whose directorial credits include “Insidious,” “The Conjuring,” and “Malignant” — hasn’t directed a film since “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”