It's a surprising twist for fans of the Saw franchise: the eagerly anticipated Saw XI has hit a major snag and won't be hitting theaters this fall as planned. The delay isn't due to creative disagreements but rather a managerial deadlock, according to screenwriter Patrick Melton in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "We haven’t heard anything since May," Melton revealed. "It’s stalled at a managerial level. It has nothing to do with the creative or anything else. There’s higher-level things at play."

Melton, alongside his writing partner Marcus Dunstan, handed in their script draft back in spring 2024. Despite the passage of time, progress has been halted by what Melton describes as "inter-squabbling between producers and Lionsgate," leading to an inability to align on the project's direction.

Originally, frequent franchise director Kevin Gruetert was set to helm Saw XI, which was slated for a September 2024 release. However, fans were disheartened when the release was pushed back an entire year to September 2025. The delay came as a blow, especially following the success of Saw X, the 10th installment that revitalized the series, pulling in over $120 million worldwide and reigniting interest in the franchise.

What adds to the disappointment is that Saw XI was poised to tackle a pertinent topic. While specific plot details remain under wraps, Melton hinted that the narrative would echo the themes of Saw VI, where John Kramer, aka Jigsaw (played by Tobin Bell), targeted health insurance executives. "Saw XI may or may not be made, but we have a very timely story in it, and I hope it gets made just because of that," Melton expressed to THR.

"It taps into the same themes of Saw VI, where you’re a citizen, you feel angry and frustrated with something, you feel like you can’t do anything, and John Kramer’s going to do it." This storyline could have provided a fresh yet familiar take on current societal issues, but with the film's future uncertain, fans may be left wondering what could have been.