James Wan Teams With Blumhouse to Reinvent Saw for a New Generation

James Wan might be inching away from The Conjuring if Warner Bros. does not sort out his deal, but he is definitely circling back to the franchise that put him and Leigh Whannell on the map: Saw. And this time, it is through Blumhouse. Yes, that is a lot of horror IP musical chairs. Here is how it all fits together.

Wan and Whannell launched Saw in 2004, stuck around through Saw III, and then stepped off the ride while the series kept grinding on without them. Cut to now: development on Saw XI reportedly hit a wall thanks to creative disagreements among the producers at Twisted Pictures. That stall opened a lane for Blumhouse, which swooped in and secured the rights to keep Saw going. Conveniently, Blumhouse recently merged with Wan’s Atomic Monster, so the guys who built Saw in the first place are suddenly back in the room.

'James Wan will be hugely involved. That is how we are going to reinvent it.'

That is Jason Blum talking to Variety, and it signals a pretty direct approach: if you want to reboot the engine after 10 movies, bring back the original mechanic. Blum even tipped his hat to the folks who kept Saw alive this long, saying it is no small feat to push any franchise into double digits, and he is grateful they are letting Blumhouse take the baton.

Wan, for his part, is treating this like a genuine homecoming. He says Saw still means a lot to him, and that returning with a fresh perspective will be his most hands-on creative involvement with the series since those early days. His plan is to recapture the raw, original vibe while pushing the legacy in directions fans will not expect. Whannell is back in the mix too, which is exactly the kind of inside-baseball synergy that merger was designed to create.

Meanwhile, Blum is still chasing other horror heavyweights. He admitted he is currently losing the bidding war for Texas Chainsaw Massacre rights, with A24 looking like the likely winner. And Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street? He calls those his white whales and says he is constantly working the phones. If someone else makes one without him, he will try to be there for the next one.

• What changed: Saw XI stalled at Twisted Pictures over creative differences. Blumhouse stepped in and secured the franchise rights after merging with Wan’s Atomic Monster.
• Who is back: James Wan will be heavily involved in the new Saw era; Leigh Whannell is back in the orbit as well.
• What Blumhouse is saying: Reinvention by getting the original architects involved, while acknowledging the previous producers carried the series through 10 movies.
• Where Wan stands: Treating this as his first true creative return to Saw since the early installments, aiming for the original spirit plus bold new moves.
• Other rights drama: Blum says A24 appears to be winning Texas Chainsaw; he is still pursuing Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street.
• Wild card: Wan’s future with The Conjuring is fuzzy until Warner Bros. addresses his deal.

Bottom line: Saw is back under new management, with the original creators suddenly steering again. If you have been waiting for a Saw course correction with actual Wan DNA, this is the most promising sign in years.