We are most definitely getting at least one more Saw movie following the success of this year’s Saw X. It wouldn’t be remotely surprising if Lionsgate has multiple films on the horizon given how well things have been going in Jigsaw’s arena as of late. But, at least for now, the producers of the long-running horror franchise aren’t planning to do a sequel to 2021’s Spiral: From the Book of Saw. But could a follow-up to that film be in the cards down the line? Maybe!
Directed by franchise vet Darren Lynn Bousman, Spiral was a departure for the series, attempting to move away from Tobin Bell’s John Kramer with a hard-boiled detective story elsewhere in the Saw universe with a cast led by Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. Naturally, the film left room for a sequel. So it wasn’t inconceivable to imagine that the recently announced Saw XI could pick up that thread. Speaking to SFX Magazine (Via GamesRadar), producer Mark Burg has pretty much ruled that out, at least for now.
“Maybe one day we’ll come back to doing a sequel. Chris Rock would love to do one, but our focus, because of the success and the response to Saw X, is Saw 11.”
Spiral: From the Book of Saw centers on Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock), who is very much operating in the shadow of his father (Samuel L. Jackson). Zeke and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of an investigation into a brutal series of murders that recall the city’s gruesome past. Zeke ultimately finds himself at the center of the killer’s twisted game.
The good news for fans of Spiral is that it doesn’t seem as though the producers are opposed to revisiting this thread at some point. And, if Burg is to be believed, Rock would be game to return as well. The biggest reason this probably isn’t happening right now appears to be purely commercial. Spiral was released in 2021 when the pandemic was still affecting many moviegoers’ decision to go to the movies. It made $39 million against a $20 million budget which, considering the circumstances, wasn’t bad. But when Saw X made $109 million by bringing Tobin Bell back as Jigsaw, the path forward became clear for the studio.
Meanwhile, the nature of Saw XI remains mysterious. We know that writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger won’t be returning to pen the next installment. All that has been confirmed up to this point is a 2024 release date. Lionsgate has yet to reveal a director or any cast information. But the Vegas odds are probably on another prequel set before the events of Saw III, allowing for Bell to return for (presumably) one last ride.
Saw XI is currently set to hit theaters on September 27, 2024.
