Saw 11 vanished from the schedule last year. Now it has a director: the man behind the Wrong Turn reboot
The next Saw instalment has bagged the filmmaker behind Silent Night, Deadly Night — see who’s stepping into the trap.
The Saw franchise is back in business – and if you felt like the last few relaunches were all a bit chaotic, you’re absolutely right. The relentless horror series, once famous for churning out a fresh film every single year, has now finally found someone new to take the reins. Mike P. Nelson, who’s quietly built a stacking horror CV, has been tapped by Lionsgate to direct Saw 11. Apparently, after a long stretch of production headaches, schedule changes, and even a studio buyout, things are finally moving again.
Being asked to play in this twisted sandbox with James [Wan] 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!
That was Mike P. Nelson’s take on joining the franchise, and, honestly, you can tell he’s either genuinely buzzing or just extremely well-trained at horror PR. Hard to blame him — the films have banked $1.1 billion worldwide since the original 2004 movie, so it’s a bit of a big deal in blood-drenched circles.
The revolving door of directors (and release dates)
For anyone keeping score at home, the last decade has been a series of awkward relaunches: there was Jigsaw in 2017, then Spiral (that semi-spin-off with Chris Rock) in 2021, followed by Saw X in 2023. Each time the studio hoped for a proper comeback, and each time we got… well, mixed results.
Saw 11 has had its share of chaos, too. Lionsgate originally announced it as Saw XI, with a planned release date in September 2024. Then it got pushed — first to September 26, 2025, and then it simply vanished from the release schedule by March 2025. Why? Apparently, there was a bit of a bust-up between producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg, who’ll still be executive producers this time round. So, yes, lots of backroom squabbling before cameras ever started rolling.
Saw 11 was kicked off Lionsgate's 2025 schedule following very public producer disagreements over the direction of the film.
Who’s actually steering the ship?
While the producers were busy locking horns, the franchise itself changed hands. Blumhouse Productions bought out Twisted Pictures' share of the series in June 2025, neatly giving control to James Wan — who, if you’ve forgotten, started all this back in 2004 and then left after Saw III in 2007. Since Atomic Monster (Wan’s company) merged with Blumhouse in early 2024, he’s back in charge of his old stomping ground for the first time in nearly two decades. That’s getting the original filmmaker back in the fold, which doesn’t happen often with horror franchises – they usually just run on fumes until the wheels fall off.
Nelson isn’t alone, either. The script comes from Gregory Weidman and Geoff Tock – both new to Saw, but working closely with Wan. Wan, sounding fairly bullish about the whole affair, explained his reasoning for trusting Nelson with the next chapter:
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.
If you want a third opinion, Lionsgate boss Adam Fogelson is also confident, linking Nelson’s new role to Wan’s big breakthrough with the first film: ‘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.’ The official Saw X account got in on the excitement too, dropping a cryptic teaser tagged, ‘did you miss me?’ There’s clearly a bit of new energy behind all the usual gore.
The new blood
For those who don’t immediately recognise Nelson’s name, he’s the bloke behind indie-horror oddities like The Domestics, the twisted reboot of Wrong Turn, and the recent Silent Night, Deadly Night. His most recent project, Beware Boiúna, just premiered at Fantastic Fest and hits cinemas on 2 October 2026 — not with the Saw brand, but from the very same studio.
- Saw 11 director: Mike P. Nelson
- Writers: Gregory Weidman & Geoff Tock
- Released by: Lionsgate
- Executive producers: James Wan, Oren Koules, Mark Burg
- Blumhouse acquired the franchise in June 2025 (via Twisted Pictures buyout)
- Current status: Post-chaos, finally on track with fresh creative team
That’s about where things stand for Saw 11 now: fresh talent, old legends returning, and a studio that’s just about managed to settle its internal squabbles. Maybe, this time round, they can pull off another hit — or at least, chaos that’s entertaining for the audience rather than just the people making it.
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