There’s big news in the horror world, as Blumhouse has reportedly acquired a 50% stake in the Saw franchise, bringing James Wan back into the fold. According to an insider, the studio has agreed to an “eye-popping” sum for the rights.
Wan directed the original Saw in 2004, launching the horror movie franchise with co-writer Leigh Whannell. While he hasn’t directed another entry since, he has remained on board as an executive producer throughout its evolution.
This latest move comes in the wake of Jason Blum’s Blumhouse merging with Wan’s Atomic Monster banner in early 2024. Now, several sources say Blumhouse has struck a deal to acquire the rights previously held by Twisted Pictures.
That means Blumhouse will essentially take over the IP from producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who helped shepherd all 10 previous Saw movies under the Twisted banner. Lionsgate will retain its 50% stake and continue as a producing partner.
Blumhouse makes “eye-popping” deal for Saw
A source told Hollywood insider Jeff Schneider that Blum agreed to pay “at least” $90 million. Plus, he said that the “eye-popping” sum may even be separate from any future profit that Burg and Koules could have negotiated as part of the deal.
It’s a lot of cash to pay upfront, but apparently, it was set to be even more.
“Blumhouse was in talks for the Saw rights last year, but those talks broke down earlier this year due to financial terms – namely, the notoriously cheap Blum refused to meet Twisted’s asking price of $100 million,” said Schneider.
If and when the deal is finalized, we may finally find out what’s happening with Saw 11. If you remember, Saw 10 dropped in September 2023, with Lionsgate announcing an eleventh instalment in December that year.
The new movie was originally set for release in September 2024, but this was later delayed to September 2025. What followed were claims of creative disagreements between the producers, which was reiterated in Schneider’s latest report.
“Twisted Pictures is run by Oren Koules and Mark Burg, who decided to sell the rights because they no longer saw eye to eye on the lucrative horror franchise,” he wrote.
By March 2025, the film was canceled altogether, but it looks like it could be dragged out of development hell if this new deal goes ahead.
Schneider continued, “As of now, there is no new Saw movie in the works, though once the rights deal closes, you can bet it will be among Blumhouse/Atomic Monster’s top priorities – and Lionsgate’s too, given the studio’s need for recognizable, reliable franchises.”
