SAW II, III, and IV director Darren Lynn Bousman has returned to the SAW franchise to take the helm of a new entry that comes from an unexpected source: the story was pitched by Chris Rock, who is also executive producing and starring in the film as
a police detective investigating a series of grizzly crimes.
When filming began four weeks ago, it was revealed that Rock's co-stars will include Samuel L. Jackson as the father of Rock's character, Max Minghella as Rock's partner William Schenk, and Marisol Nichols as Rock's boss, Captain Angie Garza.
Now that the project is nearing the end of production, the name of another cast member has been announced: Nazneen Contractor is in the film as "a coroner who works closely with Rock's character."
Contractor's 19 years of screen credits include the TV shows 24, Person of Interest, Covert Affairs, Scorpion, Castle, Heroes Reborn, Hawaii Five-O, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Ransom, as well as the films STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, ROMAN J. ISRAEL, and TINY HOUSE OF TERROR.
The new film is described as "a SAW experience", and Lionsgate chairman Joe Drake has said Chris Rock came to them 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."
Mark Burg and Oren Koules are producing the film, with Daniel Heffner, James Wan, and Leigh Whannell serving as executive producers alongside Rock. Rock's idea was fleshed out into a screenplay by JIGSAW writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg.
Once scheduled for the traditional October SAW movie release, the film recently moved up to May 15, 2020.