Summary
Sawis one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time, bringing some of the goriest and bloodiest scenes in cinematic history to the big screen. At the same time, movies that are as violent as these tend to be divisive and struggle to build into a successful franchise.Sawhas proven that it’s possible due to the high quality of storytelling that has run throughout it, withthe franchise grossing more than $1 billion worldwide.
That’s mainly due to Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw, which has helped to piece together many different plot points throughout theLionsgatemovies. However, withSaw XIhaving many issues getting greenlit, it’s now starting to feel like the time is up and that this time, it could end up being game over.
Saw XI Is Struggling To Get Off The Ground
Saw XIinitially seemed like it was going to come out with an extremely fast turnaround from the previous film, as it was given a 2024 release date. However,that was then delayed until 2025, and it was recently confirmed that the film has been pulled entirely from Lionsgate’s release calendar. It was an extremely worrying situation as fans thought that meant the movie was never going to happen, especially afterscript creator Patrick Melton had revealed there had been a period of radio silence from Lionsgate.
Fortunately, there was positive news as Lionsgate sent an official message toThe Hollywood Reporterfrom Billy the Puppet, which said,“I’ve seen the rumors. They say it’s Game Over. You should all know me better than that. The game is never over.“Obviously, this hasn’t given any official details on when the movie is happening, but it at least appears to confirmthere will be one more entryinto this franchise at some point down the line. However, the fact thatSaw XIis having so much trouble getting off the ground is a troubling sign regarding the long-term future of this franchise.
The Saw Franchise Is Starting To Run Out Of Ideas
TheSawfranchise has been going on since 2004, with James Wan’s original proving to be a bold film that was done on a relatively cheap budget but boasted a clever plot with some fantastic twists. Since then, each movie hasramped up the trapsand the gore that has gone with it, sometimes leaning into the ridiculous, while at other points, the movies have been grittiest and felt more realistic. TheSawmovies have always done a good job of creating an interesting storyline around what’s happening outside of people just being killed for the sake of it, which is why it has been so enjoyable for audiences over the years.
However, the story surrounding Kramer has been taken as far as it can be.Sawhas jumped around in terms of the timeline in a bid to keep him involved and allowJigsaw’s games to continue to be told. But that’s not something that can always continue, as eventually, audiences will stop caring about the product. After so many years of telling similar stories, it feels like the time is coming up when the ideas are beginning to run dry when it comes to creating ways to shock fans or having twists that also link to the otherSawmovies.
Now Is The Time For Jigsaw’s Games To End
Saw Xwas actually one of the strongest moviesin the history of the franchise, which is why there was so much excitement surrounding the next installment. It proves that there is enough life in the franchise for one more movie to be released where audiences will head out to the cinema in their droves to enjoy the product. However, the fact that there are so many issues taking place behind the scenes with getting the movie to actually take place is a sign that there might not be as much faith in the decision-makers as fans have inSaw XIbeing a worthwhile venture. While Lionsgate might be teasing that the movie will eventually happen, it wouldn’t be the first time that false promises have been made in the Hollywood industry. Therefore, they could just as easily change their minds.
However, with fans enjoying the last movie and actively wanting to see another, this does appear to be a great time to end the franchise. While seeing all of Jigsaw’s different twisted games have been entertaining in a provocative manner, it would be a wise move for the franchise to wrap things up on a high,with Bell in the lead role, before people end up turning against it. It’s always better to leave audiences wanting more rather than to keep pushing things to the limit before audiences eventually turn against it which can harm the legacy of theSawfranchise on the whole.
