“Saw XI” Cancelled; “The Strangers: Chapter 2” to Premiere September 26

by Annika March 24, 2025

The highly anticipated sequel Saw XI has been pulled from Lionsgate’s release schedule, amid reports of inner conflict between the producers and Lionsgate. In place of Saw XI, The Strangers: Chapter 2, a continuation of the movie series that started with the 2008 film The Strangers, will premiere on September 26th.

“Saw XI” Cancelled; “The Strangers: Chapter 2” to Premiere September 26

– The scheduled sequel to the Saw horror franchise, Saw XI, has been removed from its planned release date by Lionsgate due to internal disagreements among the producers.
– The Strangers: Chapter 2 has instead been slated for a wide release on Sept. 26, the original release date for Saw XI.
– Despite the setback, Saw franchise writer, Patrick Melton, hopes the movie will eventually be made due to the timely theme it contains, although no further details on the film’s progress have been provided.

The eleventh installment of the horror franchise Saw has been taken off Lionsgate’s release calendar — but that doesn’t signify the end of the franchise. The Hollywood Reporter announce exclusively that the scheduled sequel, once due for release on September 26th, has been withdrawn from that slot. This news follows a comment from Patrick Melton, the movie’s writer, about an ongoing disagreement between Lionsgate and the film’s producers.

On a lighter note, Lionsgate shared an entertaining message from Billy the Puppet, John Kramer’s (aka Jigsaw) ventriloquist dummy from the films: “You’ve heard the word spreading, claiming it’s Game Over. However, you should know me better – the game is never truly over.”

Simultaneously, The Strangers: Chapter 2, starring Madelaine Petsch, who will be reprising her role, is slated for a wide release on September 26th. The first installment of The Strangers franchise was terrible but made money in its release last May. This next release will be the second in a trifecta intended to reboot the series, originally introduced in 2008 with stars Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.

The new film also stars Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath, with the directing reins in the hands of Renny Harlin, assisted by a script from Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland. The team of producers includes Solomon, Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Alastair Burlingham and Charlie Dombek. Principal film production is done by Fifth Element.

Melton, writer of Saw XI, shared with THR that a draft of the film was finished as early as May 2024 by him and his partner Marcus Dunstan. According to him, the draft has been delayed due to management issues, not due to creative differences. He maintains an optimistic approach saying, “Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story and I hope it comes to fruition solely based on that.” He likens the context to that of Saw VI.

Despite these setbacks, the Saw series continues to hold significance for Lionsgate. Since the franchise’s inception, with the 2004 James Wan-directed movie, the series has amassed billions in worldwide box office earnings.