10 Movie Franchises That Are Probably Doomed
6. Saw
It's been almost 18 months since Saw X successfully revitalised the franchise with its most critically acclaimed entry yet, but if word on the street can be believed, we're still not any closer to Saw XI being released.
A direct sequel to Saw X was originally announced in December 2023 and fast-tracked to release in September 2024, with director Kevin Greutert set to return.
However, last April the film was pushed back to September 2025, and in recent months reports from reputable leakers have suggested that progress is being held up by business disagreements between rights-holders Mark Burg and Oren Koules.
Even if Saw XI began production in earnest tomorrow, it'd struggle to meet that Halloween-friendly release date, and so it's likely we won't see Saw XI until at least September 2026.
However, the undeniable elephant in the room is the advancing age of franchise star Tobin Bell, who turns 83 this August, and so the longer that production waits around, the less likelihood there is of him being able to take part.
And beyond that, there's the fact that Saw has failed to chart a path forward without Bell.
Given that his character John Kramer died all the way back in Saw III, and Bell himself won't always be around to play Kramer, the franchise desperately needs to find a worthy successor if it wants to survive long-term.
As such, the sentiment around the series' future is pretty damn gloomy among the fandom, and with good reason.
10 films is certainly a great run for any horror franchise, though given that Saw remains immensely popular and profitable, many would love to see it continue for another 10.