The Saw franchise is in the middle of a major transition. After Lionsgate pulled Saw XI from the release calendar, horror powerhouse Blumhouse swooped in and acquired a stake in the franchise, setting the stage for a fresh chapter. But before that handoff, there was another version of Saw XI on the table, and according to one of the series’ longtime producers, it sounded like something truly special.
In an interview with ComicBook, franchise producer Oren Koules revealed that he and Mark Burg couldn’t agree on the direction for the sequel, leading to the project stalling out. That creative split ultimately paved the way for the rights sale to Blumhouse. But Koules also shared what fans missed out on a direct continuation of Saw X. As he told it:
We had everybody in, including Synnøve [Macody Lund, who played Saw X villain Cecilia Pederson] coming back from Saw X. She’s amazing. The script that we had was going to take place 30 seconds after Saw X ended.
For those who missed it, Saw X sits neatly between the events of the first two films and digs into John Kramer’s most personal game yet. Facing terminal brain cancer, John travels to Mexico chasing an experimental miracle cure, only to discover the entire clinic is a scam designed to exploit vulnerable patients.
That betrayal reignites Jigsaw’s twisted sense of purpose, and he turns the tables on the con artists—Cecilia Pederson and her crew—through a series of ingenious, bone-chilling traps. What starts as John’s desperate search for hope quickly becomes one of the franchise’s most brutal revenge stories, leaving Cecilia alive, but trapped, setting the stage for a sequel that now may never be.
The direct sequel concept is a tantalizing one I wish we could have seen. Saw X re-energized the franchise with its Mexico-set story and Cecilia’s unforgettable turn as one of Jigsaw’s smartest and most ruthless foils. A sequel picking up literally seconds after its predecessor would have been a great way to continue.
Not only could it have been awesome revisiting Cecilia's fate, but it could have potentially elevated her into the series’ pantheon of best recurring Jigsaw apprentices alongside Hoffman and Amanda. It also would’ve been a rare experiment in Saw continuity, refusing the usual timeline jumps and flashback trickery in favor of raw, immediate momentum.
Blumhouse is now the one holding the keys to Saw’s future. We don’t know much yet about where the company is taking it, but producer Oren Koules has made it clear he’s proud to hand things over to Jason Blum and his crew. Honestly, it makes sense since Blumhouse has built its whole reputation on breathing new life into horror franchises that felt like they’d run their course.
I can’t help but wonder about the road not taken. Cecilia’s unfinished story arc feels like fertile ground the series shouldn’t just toss aside. She was one of the more fascinating antagonists the franchise has introduced in years, and letting that thread dangle would be a shame. Will Blumhouse circle back to her or chart an entirely different course for the upcoming horror movie? Right now, that’s anyone’s guess.
In the meantime, Koules is keeping busy outside of Saw. His latest project, Trust, produced under his banner, is a new horror movie starring Sophie Turner and directed by Upgraded’s Carlson Young. It's now playing in theaters.
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