"Saw XI Delayed: Lionsgate and Producer Disputes"

It's hard to believe, but it looks like the game is up for the Saw franchise, at least for the time being. The much-anticipated Saw XI has hit a snag and won't be hitting theaters this fall as planned. This delay isn't due to creative differences, but rather a managerial deadlock.

According to Patrick Melton, the screenwriter for Saw XI, 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 back in spring 2024, nearly a year ago. The hold-up, Melton explained, stems from "inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate. They just can’t quite get on the same page."

Originally, frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert was set to helm the project, announced back in December 2023 with a planned September 2024 release. However, fans were disappointed when the film's release was pushed back an entire year to September 2025. Many hoped this delay would enhance the story, especially following the success of Saw X. The 10th installment revitalized the franchise, pulling in over $120 million globally, which naturally spurred excitement for Saw XI.

What's particularly frustrating is that Saw XI was poised to tackle a relevant and timely topic. While plot details remain under wraps, Melton hinted that the film's narrative would echo themes from Saw VI, which he co-wrote with Dunstan and was directed by Gruetert. In Saw VI, John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), targeted 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 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." It would have been fascinating to see the Saw franchise revisit these themes, especially given current global circumstances. Unfortunately, it seems we might never get to see how they would have approached it differently.