One of the most iconic modern horror franchises could soon be under new ownership. Saw, the universe of brutal and bloody horror movies created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell in the early 2000s, is being considered for acquisition by renowned genre studio, Blumhouse. A new report revveals that the deal would give Jason Blum’s horror-based production company half the rights to the Saw franchise, and likely enough freedom to produce future sequels.
So, it seems the game is not over for Jigsaw and his horribly creative sense of justice using meticulous artifacts of depravity. As per a report by Deadline’s The Dish, Twisted Pictures is letting go of Saw. The company owned by Mark Burg and Oren Koules (Saw producer Gregg Hoffman was also part of it before his passing) was founded as a horror-focused division of Evolution Entertainment when Saw changed the rules of the horror game in 2004. The franchise associated with the term “torture porn” was Twisted Pictures’ most successful intellectual property.
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Half of the Saw rights will remain at Lionsgate, but Blumhouse’s buyout represents a potential for the series that waned progressively after the release of the latest film in 2023. Saw X was a major success with critics and audiences, making over $125 million at the box office and impressing critics, as reflected in its 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score is even higher, sitting at 88%.
Naturally, a sequel was the next step. John Kramer, a.k.a. Jigsaw’s resilience and battle against cancer was no longer a problem as writers have consistently found ways to bring him back. In some sequels, his agenda was often in the hands of other villains who carried out his legacy, and Saw films were still making millions. For this reason, Saw XI was greenlit quickly following the tenth outing. A social media post at the time even announced the future sequel would be released on September 27, 2024.
However, things soon changed. Months before the official release date, the film was postponed to September 2025. Saw XI, which was set to be directed by Saw X’s Kevin Greutert and written by franchise veterans Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, then suffered another major hit, with a source close to the production saying the film was “totally dead.”
Are There Any More Stories to Tell in the ‘Saw’ Universe?
Lionsgate Films
There are some detractors who claim the Saw universe is dead, and should not be revived. Nevertheless, the appeal of the horror franchise is undeniable. People will still return to theaters to see helpless victims fight the impossible. The franchise revival Final Destination Bloodlines is proof of this.
However, with Saw, things arguably got a little repetitive halfway through the series, with some of the sequels feeling simply uninspired. At this point, one of the only things that can likely save the franchise is a creative overhaul and, yes, Jason Blum could be the one to do it. While his previous experience with The Exorcist did not work out, Halloween largely did. Perhaps the secret lies in letting John Kramer go, and mounting the horror franchise on the shoulders of another vicious villain with a similarly strong agenda.
Source: Deadline
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