James Wan and Leigh Whannell, who created Saw, have now reclaimed their original nightmare universe rights. Blumhouse Productions secured the essential franchise rights in June 2025 after other studios had controlled the franchise for multiple years. This allowed Wan and Whannell to return as creative leaders for future films. 

The duo has now returned to their original story from 2004, which features an intricate universe of psychological terror and innovative traps that changed modern horror movies. And they could not be more thrilled to welcome Saw back.

James Wan and Leigh Whannell have described their return of creative control over Saw as a personal achievement, comparing their original creation to their child returning to their parents after seeing the world. After Blumhouse acquired the franchise rights and brought both creators back into the fold, Wan said it felt like coming home to a universe he and Whannell first imagined nearly two decades ago.

“It’s a piece of IP that was created by us, as opposed to trying to reshape or refashion someone else’s IP... this is our little universe. So, it feels like coming home," the duo told Discussing Film in an interview while gushing about getting Saw back after the franchise went on without them.

Wan and Whannell established the franchise through their collaboration on the first movie, which featured Wan as director and Whannell as screenwriter. The new rights situation provides them with an opportunity to return the franchise to its original state of pure psychological horror. 

The duo now gets to guide Saw’s future and protect its original elements. Whannell, who co-created the story and wrote the early films, sees this as an opportunity to ground the next iteration in the original philosophy and tone they intended. The filmmakers fully control their rights because they can bring their original vision back to life through authentic horror and intelligent storytelling, which drove their successful franchise. 

Seen ‘Sinners’? Here Are the Next Horror Hits Creeping Up on You

Now the question is whether Wan will be directing a brand sequel to Saw to revive its original psychological horror. 

As announced previously, the development of Saw 11 reached its early phase with James Wan and Leigh Whannell having now begun their work on the project. Wan once even confirmed that he would direct the next Saw film. But the project was quickly cancelled soon after, with no update from Blumhouse about its future. However, the hope still lingers as Wan is ready to bring a fresh perspective to the new Saw movie.

"I feel I can come back to it with a new perspective whilst knowing that with this next movie I want to hark back to the spirit of the first movie,” Wan said in an interview with Isaac Feldberg. 

Wan seeks to make the movie scary again by reinstating its psychological scarring, asking for the first of 10 movies instead of cheapening it to gore. The director wants to create horror moments that frighten audiences while catering to both established fans and new viewers, as Saw begins its next era with its original creators returning to create new scares, which will respect the franchise while exploring new psychological territory. 

Best Horror Movies on Netflix to Watch This Halloween

Are you excited to see the next Saw movie? Comment your thoughts below.