Writer Of Saw XI Explains Why The Scrapped Horror Movie Still Needs To Happen

You used to be able to set your watch to the notion that, “If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw.” Yet here we stand, in the early act of the 2025 movie schedule, with the report of Saw XI’s alleged cancellation seeming to confirm that isn’t quite the case anymore.

While horror fans might be a bit upset that John Kramer’s crusade isn’t as clockwork driven as some of his devices, franchise co-writer Patrick Melton has shared his reasons for why we shouldn’t give up hope just yet. Should the gist of his own viewpoint on the matter carry water, there may still be a chance this outing could appropriately be saved at the eleventh hour.

Why Saw XI Still Needs To Happen, According To Patrick Melton

From where I stand as a fan, Saw X’s ending was enough evidence I needed to want more mid-quel adventures. But after reading what Mr. Melton had to say about this potential next chapter to THR, as well as the previous sequel it compliments, I have to say I’m even more invested. Here’s what he had to say:

For those of you who may need some of the cobwebs dusted off of your Saw movie memories, Saw VI was the one where Tobin Bell’s avenging angel of morality took his battle to the insurance companies. The reason for that particular round of bloodsports came from his own treatment for cancer rejected by his carrier at the time - which is definitely a timely subject, for better or worse.

Seeing as the man known as “The Jigsaw Killer” trusted a fly-by-night operation that claimed it could cure him in Saw X, I’m kind of surprised I didn’t put this together previously. Considering Costas Mandalor’s Mark Hoffman show up in the end credits sting for Saw X, bringing it all back to the sixth chapter in the series is a very on-brand move for this Gordian Knot of recursive continuity.

Like any good horror fan with a shred of franchise loyalty, I need to see how this plays out. And again it just might, provided Patrick Melton's somewhat encouraging update on Saw XI's development holds up.

Patrick Melton’s Update On Where Saw XI Stands At The Moment Is Kind Of Hopeful

While what we know about Saw XI has been rather mysterious to this point, Patrick Melton’s new comments are now really intriguing - especially as he has his own update on where things stand with the Saw saga’s current troubles. For reference, the reports that inspired the most recent twists in this long rumored cancellation seemed to suggest that the plug was pulled as of January 2024.

However, this account coming from the co-writer of Saw IV - Saw: The Final Chapter, is a bit different:

So the good-ish news is that Saw XI doesn’t sound as cancelled as we previously thought; so there’s a non-zero chance we could still see it happen. In terms of the bad-ish news, those “higher-level things” Melton alludes to could be the potential sale of the Saw franchise, which sounds very similar to Warner Bros.’ alleged Looney Tunes deal.

Should that scenario move forward, I don’t think this sequel would be on the table anymore - as who wouldn’t want to reboot that story in some way, shape, or form? That would honestly kind of suck, especially since we've been reunited with Det. Hoffman and Amanda (Shawnee Smith), and that post-credits trap tease still needs to play out.

Admittedly, it would be fitting to see Saw XI land the potentially biggest twist it could by righting the ship, getting things back on track. As the supposed infighting sounds as perilous as when Jigsaw’s various disciples squabbled over several of the sequels Melton co-wrote with Marcus Dunstan, that could be a tall order. We’ll have to wait and see, as there are plenty of upcoming horror movies to keep us occupied in the meantime.