Leigh Whannell Reveals Why He’s ‘Not Such a Fan’ of the Saw Sequels

Leigh Whannell Reveals Why He’s ‘Not Such a Fan’ of the Saw Sequels

As a gamer who has lived through the evolution of horror films, I can say Leigh Whannell‘s stance on the newer Saw sequels resonates with me. Like him, I feel that sometimes, franchises can stretch beyond their prime and lose their original charm. However, it’s not my call to decide when a story should end; that seems to be Hollywood’s job.


Leigh Whannell has revealed that he is not such a fan of the newer Saw sequels.

In 2004, Whannell collaborated with James Wan on the script for the first “Saw” movie, which became a massive horror success. This film, made with a budget of $1-1.2 million, grossed an impressive $103.9 million at the box office. Whannell, who played the character Adam in the original film, also penned the screenplays for “Saw II” and “Saw III”. After the third movie, he stepped back from the series creatively, but continued to serve as an executive producer.

After he left, the Saw franchise persisted, adding seven additional installments to its roster. The latest addition, Saw X, hit theaters in 2023 and garnered some of the franchise’s most favorable critic reviews.

At New York Comic Con 2024, Whannell was present at BlumFest to publicize his forthcoming horror production, titled Wolf Man. During this event, ComingSoon had an opportunity to discuss with him about his thoughts on some recently produced Saw films.

Does Leigh Whannell like the new Saw sequels?

Whannell confessed, “Personally, I’m not a big fan of the most recent Saw films. It’s not because I believe they are poorly made; it’s more about my personal detachment from that franchise. I think they should have concluded the series with the third movie, don’t you?

In 2006, Saw III marked what seemed like the end of the series as it depicted the death of John Kramer. However, subsequent Saw films have extended the storyline, introducing fresh Jigsaw killers and occasionally setting events earlier in the timeline, allowing Tobin Bell to continue playing his character within the franchise.

In Hollywood, when someone has the rights to a particular project (IP), they have the freedom to continue working on it, as Whannell explains. “They do what they want with it,” he adds. “It’s no longer really in your hands. I often encounter fans of the Saw series who enjoy movies like Saw V, VI, or VII. I don’t want to diminish their enjoyment of these films, so I’m glad that the franchise continues elsewhere. Meanwhile, I have my own filmmaking endeavors here.

After leaving the Saw series, Whannell dedicated himself to screenwriting, creating movies like Insidious and Dead Silence. He made his first appearance as a feature film director with Insidious: Chapter 3 and subsequently garnered critical acclaim as both the writer and director of the 2018 movie Upgrade and the 2020 release The Invisible Man.

Currently, Whannell notes with pleasure when individuals approach him to discuss the films he’s directed, such as “I adore Upgrade” or “I love The Invisible Man.” He feels, “Wow, this is a new phase in my life as a director.” Essentially, he’s delighted about it. It’s gratifying to know that I can move past Saw now that I have my own projects underway.

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2024-10-31 18:40