The future of the Saw franchise was touch and go for a while there, following the success of Saw X and subsequent collapse of a potential eleventh entry in the franchise, but with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster taking the rights last year , the gory horror saga is set to continue with a brand new director at the helm.
Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn, Silent Night, Deadly Night, the upcoming Beware Boiúna) will officially take the reigns on the eleventh Saw movie, which is written by Gregory Weidman & Geoff Tock (BelowDune: Prophecy).
Series creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell are on board as producers, as is genre giant Jason Blum.
Plot details for Saw 11 (title TBA) remain under wraps, as is whether the great Tobin Bell will return in any capacity.
Here's what Nelson has to say about his gory new venture:
Being asked to play in this twisted sandbox with James is nothing short of a dream come true. Greg and Geoff and James have crafted such a wild script that brings the mystery of the original while exploring new insane bloody ideas that meld so well with the brutal moral compass of the franchise. Let the games begin!
Wan adds:
Making the original Saw was a defining experience for me, so it was essential to find a director who would honor that world. Mike has a raw, distinctive filmmaking voice with an inventive approach to the genre, and I believe he’ll bring something truly unique and special to the franchise.
Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, chimes in:
“It speaks volumes that James Wan is passionate about returning to this franchise, and his belief in Mike evokes his own breakthrough with the original Saw. Mike is one of the promising voices shaping the next generation of horror. He has a singular vision for this film, and we’re incredibly confident in what he’ll deliver.”
Previously, Wan, who directed the first Saw film all the way back in 2004, has teased his desire to make the franchise “psychologically scarring” again, and we have no doubt that Nelson is the man for the job.
Stay tuned for more on Saw 11 as we get it.
