Twisted Pictures overachieved immensely when it produced the darkly original slasher-mystery Saw in 2004. After 10 films, Twisted Pictures closed the sale of its equity stake to Blumhouse, signaling both an end and a beginning.
Twisted on the Way Out, Lionsgate Holds
Blumhouse has taken up the mantle of past horror houses like Hammer, Amicus, and American International Pictures. As with those legendary companies, Blumhouse understands what modern audiences want and continues to deliver with box office successes. Twisted Pictures reached its crossroads with the Saw franchise, delivering mixed-bag results with Jigsaw (2017) and Spiral (2021) before scoring a return financial and critical hit with Saw X (2023). However, the franchise's rebounded fortunes fell into a trap. Creative differences, such as disagreements over the script, led to Saw XI's removal from Lionsgate's release schedule. Now, Twisted Pictures has finalized its intentions to sell off its ownership stake to Blumhouse.
Lionsgate will retain its equity ownership share and continue to distribute upcoming films. How much time will pass before a new entry hits theaters is unknown. Of course, Blumhouse and Lionsgate surely will want the movie greenlit and in front of audiences without delays, but a rush job would risk producing a disappointing film from the outset, to no one's benefit. The next film can't succumb to avoidable mistakes since odds are likely the 82-year-old Tobin Bell won't play a prominent role due to advancing age and, likely, film completion insurance, a common concern with elderly actors.
Can Saw Toll Without Bell?
The first Saw film did well, thanks to the marketing that highlighted the uniqueness of the Jigsaw killer. Would gimmicky traps alone have carried a mega-hit franchise without Tobin Bell's performance? Doubtful. Originally planned as a direct video release, Lionsgate picked up Saw for theatrical distribution and scored a massive sleeper hit. Had the film gone directly to video, it likely would have gained a cult following and earned a minor profit, but it would never have become a massive money-maker without theatrical distribution. While distribution matters, so does casting. Ironically, Tobin Bell did not fully flesh out the character until the relatively weak second movie, but turned in an iconic performance in the outstanding third film. A creative first film with tremendous performances by Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell and exceptional support from Danny Glover set the franchise in motion. Still, it was Tobin Bell who cemented the series' success.
Tobin Bell IS Jigsaw in horror fans' minds, and replacing him in a reboot would be a massive challenge. Jigsaw isn't a one-dimensional killer under a mask. (And that distinct voice!) Then again, suggesting a Blumhouse-run new film would be a reboot is purely speculative. Bell could appear in a smaller role, such as a cameo, and pass the torch to another character. Saw fans simply don't know what will happen with the franchise, but let's hope we all find out soon.