The announcement that comedian Chris Rock had crafted the story for a new entry in the SAW franchise and would be starring in the film may have been the most unexpected piece of genre movie news to hit the internet last year. That project, which was shot under the working title of THE ORGAN DONOR, has since wrapped production and is heading toward a May 15th theatrical release.
Directed by SAW II, III, and IV's Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by JIGSAW writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, the new film doesn't have an official synopsis at this point but it has been said that Rock came to Lionsgate with a
fantastic vision that reimagines and spins off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer … 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."
Rock's character is
a police detective investigating a series of grizzly crimes.
Speaking with IGN's David Griffin, Rock revealed that he has seen a rough cut of the film. He assured fans,
It’s still SAW… it’s bloody, it’s gory, but there’s like a sprinkling of humor here and there. We’re not revamping it, it’s not SCARY MOVIE, it’s SAW."
Rock's co-stars include Samuel L. Jackson as his character's father, Nazneen Contractor as a coroner who works closely with him, Max Minghella as his partner William Schenk, and Marisol Nichols as his boss, Captain Angie Garza.
With the release date four months away, it shouldn't be much longer before we see a trailer for this one.