"Saw XI Delayed: Lionsgate and Producer Disputes"

It's hard to believe, but the Saw franchise is facing an unexpected pause. The eagerly awaited Saw XI has been officially delayed and will not meet its planned fall release. This news comes as a shock to fans who have been eagerly anticipating the next installment in the gripping series.

According to Saw XI screenwriter Patrick Melton, the delay isn't due to creative issues. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Melton stated, "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 and his writing partner Marcus Dunstan completed a draft of the script in spring 2024, nearly a year ago. The hold-up, Melton explained, is due to "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 Saw XI, with a release date slated for September 2024. However, fans were disheartened when the film 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 which revitalized the franchise by earning over $120 million globally during its theatrical run. This success had executives eager to move forward with Saw XI.

Adding to the disappointment, Saw XI was poised to tackle a relevant contemporary issue. While plot specifics remain under wraps, Melton likened the film's theme to that of Saw VI, which he co-wrote with Dunstan and was directed by Gruetert. In Saw VI, protagonist John Kramer, also known as Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), targets a group of health insurance executives.

Melton expressed hope for the project's future, saying, "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." He added, "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." Given current global issues, it would have been fascinating to see the Saw franchise revisit these themes and explore them in a new light. Unfortunately, it seems fans may never get to experience this intriguing storyline.