'SAW' spin-off in the works from Chris Rock and James Wan
Chris Rock has a new vision for the SAW franchise
Yep, you read that correctly folks. Chris Rock, long-time stand-up comedian, actor, producer, and Saw franchise’s #1 fan has entered a partnership with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures to reimagine the SAW franchise.
Joe Drake, chairman of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, announced the news with a release set for October 23, 2020. Series braintrusts, Leigh Whannell and James Wan will serve as Executive Producers, with Mark Burg and Oren Koules serving in Producer capacity. Darren Lynn Bousman, the director behind Saw II - IV, has been tapped to direct from a screenplay written by Jigsaw writers (That’s Saw installment #8) Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. Interestingly, Goldfinger and Stolberg will adapt their screenplay based on a story conceived by Chris Rock.
Rock’s screenplay is described as a “mind-bending” and “intense” reimagining based on the twisted and cerebral “Jigsaw” whose unorthox appreciation of “life” led to a serialized game of life and death by putting his victims through a series of mechanical traps. In a statement to EW, Rock shared “I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004” and he is “excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place”.
As someone who stopped out after SAW III, I can’t say for certain whether or not this series needs revitalizing or simply needs to die a quick death. But there’s no denying that Rock is a talented figure who, like Jordan Peele (see - Candyman), has a story to tell. Hopefully it’s good.
Stay tuned.
h/t: BloodyDisgusting
