Saw XI has been officially cut from Lionsgate‘s release calendar — but that doesn’t mean the franchise is dead yet.
The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively report that the planned sequel in the horror franchise, which had been slated to hit theaters on Sept. 26, has been removed from that date. This follows Patrick Melton, a writer on the movie, telling THR in a story published last week that there has been “inter-squabbling” between producers and Lionsgate.
On Monday, Lionsgate shared a cheeky statement from Billy the Puppet, the ventriloquist dummy used in the films by the character John Kramer, aka Jigsaw: “I’ve seen the rumors. They say it’s Game Over. You all should know me better than that. The game is never over.”
In a twinned move, The Strangers: Chapter 2 is now set for wide theatrical release on Sept. 26. Madelaine Petsch reprises her role in the sequel after starring in The Strangers: Chapter 1, which hit theaters last May and collected $48 million globally. This marks the second feature in the planned stand-alone trilogy relaunching the franchise that began with the 2008 film The Strangers that stars Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.
“I promise that we’re making The Strangers: Chapter 2 as terrifying as possible, and I can’t wait to show you on Sept. 26,” Petsch says.
Producers Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon add, “Like Strangers fans everywhere, we’re thrilled for Chapter 2 — it’s the kind of film that’ll have audiences watching through their fingers. Bringing it to theaters this Halloween season is perfect, and we can’t wait for everyone to see where the story goes next.”
Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath also star in the new movie that director Renny Harlin helmed from a script by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland. Producers include Solomon, Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Alastair Burlingham and Charlie Dombek on the film that hails from Fifth Element.
Saw XI writer Melton previously told THR that he and partner Marcus Dunstan had turned in a draft of the film back in May of 2024. According to Melton, the project was “stalled at a managerial level,” with the hurdle having “nothing to do with the creative.”
Melton added, “Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that.” He likened the topicality to that of Saw VI, which focused on Jigsaw getting revenge on health insurance executives, with that theme gaining renewed relevance recently after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The Saw franchise remains an important one for Lionsgate, having grossed more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office after launching with the James Wan-directed original movie in 2004.
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