The SAW franchise has now grossed over $1 billion worldwide across ten films, and it just got handed to the two people who created it. Blumhouse Atomic Monster’s acquisition of the SAW rights from Twisted Pictures is one of the most significant horror franchise moves in years, reuniting James Wan and Leigh Whannell with the series they launched in 2004 and effectively left behind after SAW III in 2006. What makes this announcement even more significant is the director they’ve chosen, Mike P. Nelson, whose Beware Boiúna just opened at Fantastic Fest to strong early notices, is an emerging genre filmmaker with exactly the raw, distinctive voice this franchise needs after years of diminishing returns. The SAW reboot now has its creative team, and it looks like the right one.
The Director
Blumhouse Atomic Monster has tapped Mike P. Nelson to helm the next installment in the SAW franchise. Nelson made his feature debut with The Domestics (2018), followed by Wrong Turn (2021) and Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025). His forthcoming Lionsgate creature feature Beware Boiúna, about a medical mission in the Amazon that encounters a colossal ancient serpent, is still awaiting wide release. He also directed Sweet Revenge, a short film set in the Jason Universe. His filmography marks him as a director comfortable with large-scale genre projects and practical monster work, precisely the skill set a SAW film demands.
The Script
The screenplay comes from Gregory Weidman and Geoff Tock, the writing duo behind Below (Peacock’s October creature feature) and Dune: Prophecy (HBO). Their genre credentials are strong, and the choice of writers signals an intention to deliver something with genuine craft rather than a quick franchise cash-grab.
The Producers
James Wan, Jason Blum, and Leigh Whannell produce. Executive producers are Mark Burg, Oren Koules, Stacey Testro, Michael Clear, and Judson Scott. Alayna Glasthal and Sarah Paek oversee the film for Atomic Monster. This is the first time Wan and Whannell have had direct, hands-on involvement with a SAW film since SAW III, where Whannell wrote the screenplay from an idea he and Wan developed together, originally intending it to end the franchise by killing off both Jigsaw and Amanda. The franchise, of course, ignored that intention and kept going for seven more films.
What Everyone Is Saying
Wan’s statement makes his investment in the project clear, “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.”
Nelson himself describes the project with obvious excitement, “Being asked to play in this twisted sandbox with James 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.”
Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson drew a direct parallel between Nelson’s position now and Wan’s own breakthrough in 2004, “It speaks volumes that James Wan is passionate about returning to this franchise, and his belief in Mike evokes his own breakthrough with the original Saw. Mike is one of the promising voices shaping the next generation of horror.”
No title, cast, release date, or production timeline has been announced. The games are beginning, but they haven’t started yet.
