“I want to play a game.”
So does Chris Rock, as The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the blockbuster comedian is teaming up with Lionsgate to relaunch their Saw franchise.
“I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004,” said Rock in a statement. “I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.”
Intense and twisted? Hard to believe, though Lionsgate motion picture group chairman Joe Drake echoed those sentiments in a long-winded statement:
“When Chris Rock came to us and described in chilling detail his fantastic vision that reimagines and spins-off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, we were all-in. Saw is one of the highest grossing horror franchises of all-time and it’s one of Lionsgate’s most successful film series. This upcoming film will still be as mind bending and intense as all the previous Saw films. Chris conceived this idea and it will be completely reverential to the legacy of the material while reinvigorating the brand with his wit, creative vision and passion for this classic horror franchise.”
Rock conceived the story and Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg penned the screenplay. Darren Lynn Bousman, who helmed three of the eight Saw movies, returns behind the camera.
“Chris wants to put his own spin on the Saw franchise in the way Eddie Murphy put a completely fresh perspective on buddy-cop films with 48 Hours,” said producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules in a statement. “This new Saw is going to be an event film in the making for horror fans. It will have all of the twists and turns and hardcore layers that our fans expect… We can’t wait to get started.”
They won’t have much time, though, as Lionsgate has already dated the film for an October 23rd, 2020 release date. That means we’ll see Jigsaw, who terrorized audiences from 2004’s Saw to 2017’s Jigsaw and grossed a billion in the process, will return before any Avatar sequel.
Wild days. Wild.