James Wan Wants the Next Saw Movie to Be Scary Like the Original
By Chaz Walker
James Wan is officially returning to the franchise he helped create, and he wants to take Saw back to its roots.
Wan, who launched the Saw series with writer Leigh Whannell in 2004, has not had deep creative involvement with the franchise since Saw III. Over the years, the series expanded into increasingly elaborate and gory territory, but development on Saw XI stalled after creative disagreements at Twisted Pictures. That pause opened the door for Blumhouse Productions, which acquired the rights to the franchise.
With Blumhouse now merged with Wan’s production company Atomic Monster, the timing was right to bring the original creators back into the fold. In a recent interview with Letterboxd, Wan made it clear that his main goal is to make the next Saw genuinely frightening again, in the same way the first film was.
Bringing the Creators Back
Blumhouse founder Jason Blum explained his philosophy when discussing the future of Saw, noting that sustaining a franchise across ten films is no easy task. He emphasized that the key to reinvention is involving the people who created the magic in the first place, confirming that Wan will be heavily involved in shaping the next chapter.
When Blumhouse first secured the franchise, Wan shared his enthusiasm about returning, saying that Saw holds a deeply personal place in his career. He described the new project as both a creative homecoming and an opportunity to honor the original spirit of the series while pushing it forward in bold and unexpected ways.
Making Saw Scary Again
Speaking more candidly to Letterboxd, Wan reflected on how removed he has been from the franchise over the years. While he offered guidance on Saw III and gave his blessing to later entries, he has not been involved at this level since directing the original film.
That distance, Wan believes, gives him a fresh perspective. He wants the new installment to recapture what made Saw resonate in the first place. Not just gore, but psychological dread.
Wan stressed that the original film was not simply about traps and violence. It was about fear, tension, and moral reckoning. He and Whannell are particularly interested in revisiting Jigsaw’s philosophy, which targets people who take their lives for granted. In the original film, the punishment was not arbitrary. It was tied to a twisted sense of moral judgment.
Respecting the Legacy While Moving Forward
While Wan wants to return to the franchise’s psychological core, he is also mindful of what longtime fans love about Saw. With this next film serving as the eleventh installment, he recognizes the challenge of doing something that feels both familiar and new.
Wan has stated that the series must evolve in a way that reaches a new generation of viewers who did not grow up with Saw, while still honoring the tone and themes that defined the original.
If Wan and Whannell succeed, the next Saw could mark a major tonal shift for the franchise, trading excess for atmosphere and dread. For fans who have been hoping for a return to the raw intensity of the first film, that is a very promising sign.
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