Blumhouse acquires 50% stake in ‘Saw’ franchise
Effective immediately, the horror movie powerhouse Blumhouse Productions now co-owns half of the enduring “Saw” series, having purchased the relevant rights from producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg, as announced by the company on Wednesday.
As a dedicated cinephile, I’m excited to share that Santa Monica’s own Lionsgate will maintain a 50% ownership stake in our beloved franchise. They’ll continue to hold all domestic distribution rights for future films and handle worldwide distribution for library films. Additionally, Los Angeles-based Content Partners has joined the scene, acquiring a piece of the library as part of this deal, alongside Burg’s existing share. Blumhouse has confirmed this news, making it official!
Financial details were not disclosed.
Blumhouse Productions will handle the worldwide distribution of their upcoming movies and will work closely with Lionsgate to decide the best release strategies for each film on an individual basis.
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It turns out that films akin to “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “M3Gan” have shown an impressive ability to thrive financially in the realm of PG-13 horror flicks. Coming up next, we have another one titled “Imaginary.
Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse, referred to the deal as a “smart move” that invests in one of the most well-known and prosperous horror series of the past two decades. This franchise, consisting of ten films, was launched in 2004 and has generated over $1 billion in global box office earnings.
He stated that the Saw series has significantly shaped a generation’s perception of horror, and its influence within our culture is still expanding.
Under this agreement, the franchise once again belongs to director James Wan, famous for directing the initial “Saw” movie. Last year, Wan’s production company, Atomic Monster, combined forces with Blumhouse.
Through ten spine-tingling and pulse-pounding ‘Saw’ movies, Oren and Mark have shown exceptional talent as producers and caretakers of this multi-billion dollar franchise, according to Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. In a statement, he expressed that as they hand over their roles to James, who began the series, and Jason and the Blumhouse team, Billy is in capable and twisted hands for the continuation of the game. Let’s get this show on the road!
The agreement originated from Lionsgate’s CEO, Jon Feltheimer, and Blum, as per an informed source who requested anonymity due to not being allowed to discuss the matter publicly.
2004’s “Saw” originated a trend of intensely violent and graphic horror films, often referred to sarcastically as “extreme torture flicks.” Similar movies like Eli Roth’s “Hostel” also emerged during this period.
Lately, resurrections of horror franchises have become financially successful ventures, with productions like “Final Destination Bloodlines” from New Line Cinema leading the way. The horror movie genre has been particularly effective at attracting cinema-goers in recent times, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it a dependable choice for studios.
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As for me, I’ve always found solace in the thrill of horror movies. With other genres seemingly losing their grip, horror films have evolved into a vibrant playground where creativity flourishes and commercial might reigns.
In 2023, the latest “Saw” movie, titled “Saw X,” earned a total of $112.2 million worldwide at the box office. Specifically, it made $53.6 million within the United States and $58.6 million from international markets, as reported by Box Office Mojo.
When the tenth movie proved successful, it seemed fitting for me to hand over the responsibility,” Koules stated. “I’m enormously proud of what we’ve accomplished alongside Lionsgate over the last 20 years and extremely thankful to the fans who’ve stayed loyal since day one.
In a statement, Burg referenced the recent passing of Lionsgate film executive and producer Jason Constantine as one of the factors leading to his departure. He expressed that it was now time for him to “share new narratives.
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2025-06-18 23:32