We did it, Joe! Following the box office success of Saw X—the best entry in the franchise since Barack Obama’s first term—Lionsgate has set a release date for Jigsaw’s improbable return in Saw XI.
Lionsgate has officially set a release date of September 27, 2024 for Saw XI, the 11th entry in the long-running horror franchise. In addition to the announcement (below), we’ve also learned that Saw XI will not be written by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger, who previously wrote Jigsaw, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and Saw X. Stolberg confirmed as much in a post to X, noting that he’s “excited to see this one as a fan.”
Saw X hit theaters on September 29 and grossed $53 million at the U.S. box, with a worldwide take of $107 million—a huge profit for a sequel in a lagging horror franchise that cost just $13 million to make. The 10th film saw the proper return of Tobin Bell’s John Kramer, a.k.a. Jigsaw, who (spoiler alert for a nearly 20-year-old movie) died in Saw III. Since then, Bell has reprised the role in increasingly convoluted sequels mostly via flashback. Saw X, directed by franchise vet Kevin Greutert, figured out how to revitalize the franchise by setting the sequel between the first and second Saw films.
It’s unclear if Bell or co-star Shawnee Smith will reprise their roles for Saw XI, or when the film will take place in the franchise timeline. Lionsgate also hasn’t announced a director for the sequel.
While nine months seems like a fast turnaround, old Saw-heads will remember that this was Lionsgate’s rhythm with the franchise for several years, with annual ads boasting “If it’s Halloween, it’s Saw!” I guess “If it’s almost October, it’s Saw!” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.
(featured image: Lionsgate)
