In a deal that would mark a full-circle moment for the Saw franchise, Deadline has reported that Blumhouse is in talks to acquire the ownership stake of the intellectual property (IP) from Twisted Pictures.
It’s an old back-and-forth between the two companies, but if the takeover goes through, the cult horror series will partially be back in the hands of original film director James Wan, also credited as co-creator alongside scribe Leigh Whannell. Lionsgate, distributor of the movies since 2004, is set to remain a partner.
Blumhouse, founded by Jason Blum, merged with Wan’s production banner, Atomic Monster, early last year. Some of its notable upcoming titles for the year include M3GAN 2.0, releasing on 27 June, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, slated to hit the silver screen in December.
As for Saw, it went against the slim odds of an 18-day shoot and a US$1.2 million production budget to become one of the most profitable horror movies of all time. The feature earned a global haul of US$104 million, spawning several sequels that centred on trapped victims of notorious serial killer John “Jigsaw” Kramer trying to survive through physical or psychological torture.
The first follow-up, titled Saw II, debuted one year later in October 2005, with the last instalment being 2023’s Saw X. An 11th film was previously in development for September 2025, but is no longer on the release slate after conflicting producer visions stalled the process. Veteran actor Tobin Bell was originally set to reprise his role as Jigsaw, and while it’s unclear how things will now pan out, Billy the Puppet — the ventriloquist dummy used in the films by Jigsaw — assured fans that “the game is never over”.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
Natalie
