Blumhouse Buys Rights to 'Saw' Franchise
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Blumhouse already boasts its share of horror franchises like "Insidious" and "Five Nights at Freddy's", and now it will be adding "Saw" to its arsenal of scares. The company has acquired rights to all future "Saw" films, according to Variety.
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We don't know much Blumhouse paid for the rights, but we know they acquired them from producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg. Lionsgate will continue to have a 50% stake in the franchise.
Still from "Saw".
Still from "Saw".
Lionsgate
Fans may be enthused to hear the news, considering it means Blumhouse and Lionsgate have the motivation to release more installments. News broke in March that "Saw XI" had been removed from Lionsgate's list of upcoming releases, to be replaced with "The Strangers: Chapter 2".
There was no word on exactly why "Saw XI" was canceled, but co-writer Patrick Melton told The Hollywood Reporter that if the film wasn't made, it would have nothing to do with the creative side of things.
"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 said. He put the blame for the delays at the "managerial level."
Blumhouse's acquisition of the "Saw" franchise could be seen to represent a homecoming of sorts. It brings the franchise back to James Wan who directed the first entry in the series. James Wan's Atomic Monster merged with Blumhouse in 2024.
Blumhouse CEO James Blum said Wan and "Saw" writer Leigh Whannell will be "brought back in the fold" and guiding future installments.
'Saw' holds a special place in my heart," Wan told Variety. "Coming back to this world with a fresh perspective is both thrilling and deeply personal."
"For me, this will mark a significant creative return to the 'Saw' franchise for the first time since the early days, and I'm very much looking forward to embracing the original spirit whilst pushing the legacy forward in bold, unexpected ways."
If past success proves to be an indicator of the franchise's future, financially, Blumhouse is likely in for a windfall. All told, the ten "Saw" films have taken in over $1 billion at the global box office.
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