Chris Rock loves the Saw movies so much that he’s decided to make one of his own. According to Variety, the comedian has teamed up with Lionsgate to reimagine the Saw franchise, and the film already has a release date: October 23, 2020. “I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004,†Rock said on the project. “I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.†The new film will be directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (who directed Saw II through IV), and the screenplay will be written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg based on an idea by Rock.
“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,†Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake said on the news. “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.†Producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules compared Rock’s take on Saw to Eddie Murphy’s spin on the buddy-cop genre with 48 Hours, adding that the 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 directed by one of the masters of the craft, Darren Lynn Bousman. We can’t wait to get started.â€
In addition to the Saw project, Rock is also directing a new family comedy starring fellow Saturday Night Live alum Kenan Thompson called The Kenan Show, which was ordered to series last week.