The plot details and timeline for Saw XI have been revealed in light of the film’s stalled development. The Saw franchise appeared reinvigorated by Saw X, with Tobin Bell’s John Kramer returning. The film was critically acclaimed — Saw X earned the series’ first “Fresh” Rotten Tomatoes score — and a box office success, grossing over $125 million on a $13 million budget.
Naturally, anticipation soared for the next installment, Saw XI, which was scheduled for release on Sept. 27, 2024, and later pushed back to Sept. 26, 2025. However, in August 2024, development on Saw XI stalled, and the film was then canceled. Now, Saw producer Oren Koules sheds light on what might have been in store for this Saw film.
In an interview with ComicBook, Oren Koules stated that there was “a difference of opinion about how Saw 11 would be,” between himself and Twisted Pictures co-founder and producer Mark Burg, saying “it’s really too bad.” Koules then went on to explain just what could have been expected of Saw XI. Check out Koules’ statement below:
We had everybody in, including Synnøve [Macody Lund] coming back from Saw X. She’s amazing. The script that we had was going to take place 30 seconds after Saw X ended.
Koules revealed that Saw XI was meant to pick up mere seconds after Saw X ended, with villain Cecilia Pederson (Lund) returning alongside Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). Unfortunately, creative differences prevented this. Amid the turmoil, Blumhouse purchased a stake in the Saw rights from Twisted Pictures, a move that Koules framed as a pᴀssing of the torch.
What This Means For Saw XI
The cancellation of Saw XI doesn’t necessarily mean the franchise is gone for good, but it does mark a pivotal transition for the film series. Koules’ initial concept, with its immediate continuation of the story and Saw X‘s post-credit scene, attempted to recapture the franchise’s earlier depth and intensity. However, the “difference of opinion” between creators derailed its development.
Considering Saw XI‘s cancellation was due to creative disagreements, rather than lack of quality or financial viability, it suggests that there’s still plenty of interest in continuing the franchise, especially with Saw X‘s 81% Rotten Tomatoes score. With horror hit-maker Blumhouse and the original creators in charge, there’s a genuine opportunity to salvage the elements of the Saw XI script.
Our Take On Saw XI’s Plot Details
The canceled Saw XI had the makings of a compelling sequel that could’ve elevated the franchise in a way few horror series ever manage after 10 entries. Picking up just 30 seconds after the end of Saw X, the story revealed by Koules would’ve followed up on one of the few characters to outmaneuver John Kramer’s traps, Cecilia Pederson.
Koules’ Saw XI story details and writer Patrick Melton’s “very timely” script hinted at Kramer’s pursuit of scammers and health insurance providers, which would’ve offered exactly the kind of grounded, morally complex horror that made the early films so impactful. Therefore, it’s disappointing we won’t see this in Saw XI. However, Blumhouse’s involvement is promising for the franchise’s future.
