The Next ‘Saw’ Movie Has Found Its Director

The Saw franchise has weathered a stop-and-start road to its 11th installment—but it just took a big step forward by locking in a director. The next game player will be Mike P. Nelson, whose Amazon-set giant snake movie Beware Boiúna is hitting theaters next week. This news comes from Deadline, which reports the movie will be written by Gregory Weidman and Geoff Tock (In the Shadow of the Moon) and produced by James Wan, Jason Blum, and Leigh Whannell. Wan and Whannell’s Saw partnership goes back to the 2004 original, which was Wan’s directorial debut; he and Whannell co-wrote the story, with Whannell scripting. In a statement to the trade, Wan said that “Making the original Saw was a defining experience for me, so it was essential to find a director who would honor that world. Mike has a raw, distinctive filmmaking voice with an inventive approach to the genre, and I believe he’ll bring something truly unique and special to the franchise.” Nelson’s other credits include the 2025 Silent Night, Deadly Night remake, the 2021 Wrong Turn reboot, Friday the 13th short “Sweet Revenge,” and two interconnected segments in 2023 found-footage horror anthology V/H/S/85. Clearly he’s comfortable working with existing IP as well as bringing his own vision to familiar stories. There’s no word on what Saw XI might focus on; after the release of Saw X, which was a prequel set between the first and second films, longtime star Tobin Bell hinted we’d be learning even more about the infamous John Kramer. That could very much still be the case, though the Deadline article quotes Lionsgate Motion Picture boss Adam Fogelson as noting, “[Nelson] has a singular vision for this film, and we’re incredibly confident in what he’ll deliver.” You can’t have Saw without Jigsaw—but what creative method will be used to fit him in this time, considering John Kramer died of cancer in Saw III? We’ll surely be finding out more as Nelson begins work on his film. Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.