Original creator Leigh Whannell is open to continuing the franchise down the road, once he dabbles in other genres first
We recently spoke to original Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell about their new haunted house thriller Insidious, which is in theaters this Friday. Of course we had to ask them about the continuation of Saw. This past October, Lionsgate gleefully promised that Saw 3D would be the final film in this lucrative horror series. But as we suspected, that may not be true.
In fact, Leigh Whannell is very open to returning to the Saw franchise somewhere down the road, once he gets a political horror comedy made, and a children's fantasy film off the ground first.
Here is what he had to say.
I know you have been asked this question ten thousand times, but do you guys ever think you will come back to Saw? This last sequel was supposed to be the end of the franchise forever.
Leigh Whannell: Yeah. Sure. We don't sit around and play with ideas. We don't spend an afternoon chatting about where that could go. We are so busy working on other stuff. But we are definitely responsive to it. We are still friends with the producers, and they did such a great job taking care of the franchise. They really catered to the fans of the franchise that loved it. Its hard to have anything but affection for the Saw films, because that is the one that granted our life's wish. I would definitely be open to one day doing something else with the Saw films. Knowing James Wan and I, and how we work, I think it would have to be something totally fresh and new.
So you haven't been sitting on a notebook full of awesome traps that you've been saving throughout the years?
Leigh Whannell: No! Not at all. I think the last time I had a folder of traps was for Saw III. That was the last one I wrote. Once I was finished with that, I wanted to write something completely different. I wrote things that were the complete opposite of Saw. I wrote a children's film. It is a fantasy adventure type movie. It was good to try something that was at the opposite end of the spectrum. But the idea of coming back to Saw? I would be open to it. However many years time it takes, and the producers want to revisit it, we would definitely chat with them.
What is next for you guys?
Leigh Whannell: There is a project that James Wan and I are working on. I haven't done the full-on work for it yet. It could be something in a sci-fi context that could be ripe for larger social or political themes, as apposed to a more personal theme. I will have to wait for that. I have been writing a horror comedy on the commentary of the current state of political debate in America. The right verses left name calling. It is very childish, if you flip between screaming commentators on Fox News, or whatever. It is out of control. I am not sure if it gets worse from here, or if it peaks and comes back to a more reasonable time. I was watching Network the other night, and I was like, this guy nailed it years in advance. When that movie came out, I am sure it seemed crazy and unrealistic that a news anchorman would be able to just rant and rave. If you watch Glenn Beck, what is he but the character from Network? It's so valid and resonant today. More so than back then. The shows that it was predicting actually exist. So there is something to compare it to. That is something that I guess is a more social and political thing that I have cloaked in the genre of a horror comedy. We will see.
Insidious was released April 1st, 2011 and stars Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey. The film is directed by James Wan.
Saw was released October 29th, 2004 and stars Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Ken Leung, Dina Meyer, Mike Butters, Paul Gutrecht, Michael Emerson. The film is directed by James Wan.
Saw 3D was released October 29th, 2010 and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Gina Holden, Betsy Russell, Tanedra Howard, Johnny Yong Bosch, Shauna MacDonald, Franky G. The film is directed by Kevin Greutert.
Comments (35)
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Juicy Strawperry
@LuxoIII Shut the hell up, they're not gonna dumb it up for you.
2 years agoby @Juicy-StrawperryFlag
bruce_ha
I don't know about you, but i really enjoyed the Saw franchise. What a great story.
2 years agoby @bruce-haFlag
LuxoIII
@lukeiamurfathether That's because there are NO answers in these movies. They just make it up as they go and make it look planned out, which is why these movies are so stupid!
2 years agoby @brady1138Flag
Nautical
@oregon HAHAHAH REBOOT.
2 years agoby @nautical05Flag
Nautical
I like the Saw movies. They're clever. I'm more of a zombie man myself. :D
2 years agoby @nautical05Flag
fanboy
Where ever there is money, the studios will come!
2 years agoby @fanboyFlag
Oregon
reboot
2 years agoby @oregonFlag
m2
didn't see this coming. lol
2 years agoby @m2Flag
The First Avenger: JohnnyBlaze
very true TheDude1 but honestly when is enough enough?
2 years agoby @johnnyblazetb82Flag
skywise
The final saw installment broke many of its own rules and while they did leave themselves a back door to continue the story i wont be interested unless they bring back the original creators
2 years agoby @skywiseFlag
Messenger
Now more Saws. 1 and 4 were the only ones worth a damn. 1 had the fresh concept and 4 has great back story and character development.
No more saw, please.
2 years agoby @messengerFlag
Kazuma47
i actually want a sequel, the 7th movie was so open ended, and left so many questions unanswered.
2 years agoby @kickass-14Flag
moviegeek
I couldn't even read the article. What a waste.
2 years agoby @moviegeekFlag
TheDude1
@johnnyblazetb82 Don't say that just yet. Saw 3D made tons of profit and money talks in Hollywood. It was already a well known fact that 2011 would not feature a Saw film but I can see them making Saw 8 in 2012.
2 years agoby @thedude1Flag
TheDude1
Great to see Wan and Whannell are open to coming back to the Saw franchise as more than just producers. And these are make great horror films. Saw, Dead Silence, and Insidious are all great horror films that put to shame what most horror directing icons are doing today.
2 years agoby @thedude1Flag
The First Avenger: JohnnyBlaze
This series is as dead as the cast of Jersy shore next year.
2 years agoby @johnnyblazetb82Flag
Michael Routt
What is with this "we" sh*t, you and the turd in your pocket? Orange, half the stuff you write is taken form some other news site. At the least edit your sh*t dog.
2 years agoby @michael-routtFlag
Pjwolsker
No
2 years agoby @pjwolskerFlag
CUPID
Enough with this crap. Saw is stupid.
2 years agoby @cupidFlag
ejk1
I truly don't care.
2 years agoby @ejk1Flag
Bawnian©-Dexeus
@bane5000 why not
2 years agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag
Bane5000
@bawnian-dexeus...HBO series perhaps
2 years agoby @bane5000Flag
Bane5000
The first Saw is and always will be the best one to me, that was a good suspense, psyhological thriller with the best story and ending of all the films...everything else that came after just scrapped a good story in exchange for more traps and gore... id rather be made to think what will happen next then to see how horrid the next trap is gonna be...
2 years agoby @bane5000Flag
Bawnian©-Dexeus
Make it into a TV series. :P
2 years agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag
Dan
Dear God I hope not.... only the 1st movie was good. They totally ruined it with the sequels.
2 years agoby @dan1Flag
Jimthar
i must say that i DO like the saw films. all of them. but i do think it's time to put it to bed. i guess i could see them going on with dr gordon replacing jigsaw but i dont know.
2 years agoby @jimtharFlag
SpaceCowboy
No more SAWS! Saw should've ended after the third movie.
2 years agoby @SpaceCowboyFlag
Forrestgump1
I Knew it ... just leave it .. watch see them make another Shrek Movie
2 years agoby @forrestgump1Flag
Daveactor7
I'd like to punch that guy in the face
2 years agoby @daveactor7Flag
ZanyZap
Kill it. I'm tired.
2 years agoby @zanyzapFlag