Jigsaw Finds New Home at Blumhouse

Deadline reported two weeks ago that they had heard from several sources, that Blumhouse was in talks to acquire the rights for the Saw franchise. However, Variety has confirmed the news today.

Blumhouse has officially bought Twisted Pictures portion of the rights to Saw. As reported by Variety-

Blumhouse, the maker of horror hits like “Insidious” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” has acquired the rights to all future “Saw” films, shows and other properties featuring the murderous, torture-loving Jigsaw. The company paid an undisclosed amount for the part of the franchise currently owned by producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg.

Koules said it felt like “the right time to pass the baton,” while Burg said he wanted to “move on and tell new stories.”

With Saw XI recently being pulled from the release schedule, there was a lot of talk of whether or not this franchise had any sort of a future. Reportedly, Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate had disagreements that spelled the end of the planned Saw XI, and temporarily left the franchise’s future in limbo.

Jigsaw Finds New Home at Blumhouse

Lionsgate own 50% of Saw, whilst Twisted Pictures had the other 50%- which of course has now been sold to Blumhouse. Lionsgate & Blumhouse will now work together on “all future films, shows and other properties featuring the murderous, torture-loving Jigsaw.”As outlined by Variety-

Lionsgate, which has released all 10 films in the series to the tune of more than $1 billion at the global box office, will continue to be a partner in the property. It will also retain its existing 50% ownership stake in and distribution of future instalments.

Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse, said that “Saw” had “defined a generation of horror. Its cultural impact continues to grow, making this a strategic investment in one of the most recognisable and successful genre properties of the last two decades.” In an interesting turn of events, Blum also revealed that James Wan & Leigh Whannell will be “back in the fold” and will help guide the future of the franchise.

“’Saw’ holds a special place in my heart. Coming back to this world with a fresh perspective is both thrilling and deeply personal. For me, this will mark a significant creative return to the ‘Saw’ franchise for the first time since the early days, and I’m very much looking forward to embracing the original spirit whilst pushing the legacy forward in bold, unexpected ways.” - James Wan