Aussie Saw filmmaker James Wan shares his heartbreak after legendary producer who helped him get his big break dies aged 55
Australian filmmaker James Wan has paid tribute to beloved Saw movie producer Jason Constantine who died aged 55 on Tuesday from brain cancer.
The horror director, 48, who worked on most of the Saw movies with Constantine, posted several photos of the pair together as he shared his heartbreak.
'We lost a truly great friend and human being in Jason. I've known Jason since we first came out here to make Saw. That movie is what it is today because of him,' he wrote.
'He believed in the project so much, they brought it to Lionsgate and championed it before the movie was even shot.'
Wan went on to thank his late friend for helping him transform what began as a student film into a billion dollar franchise.
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'Jason was an unsung hero of the franchise, a constant avid supporter of the movies and the filmmakers involved,' he added.
'But more importantly, he was a genuinely kind, sweet, caring, loving man.
'A true anomaly in a town like Hollywood. And a great father and husband too.'
After Constantine helped him to break into the industry, Wan went on to direct many acclaimed Hollywood blockbusters, including Fast and Furious 7 and The Conjuring.
Constantine was co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group and executive producer of all ten Saw movies, created by Wan and his writing partner Leigh Whannell.
He also produced the Australian-filmed US movies See No Evil, starring Rachael Taylor, and The Condemned featuring Neighbours actress Madeleine West.
The producer died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday after a long battle with brain cancer.
Across ten movies made from 2004 - 2023, the Saw franchise has made over AU$1bn at the box office.
Wan went on to thank his late friend for helping him transform what began as a student film into a billion dollar franchise
In addition to a mostly American cast, the films featured Australian actor Costas Mandylor as a villainous detective.
The franchise kicked off with Saw, which hit theatres October 27, 2004, and helped put director Wan and writer Whannell on the map.
The first film was produced on a modest budget and made over $100m at the box office, sparking an iconic franchise.
Saw II followed just a year later, with Darren Lynn Bousman replacing Wan at the helm and co-writing the script with Whannell.
The most recent movie movie, Saw X, was released in 2023 and was produced by both Wan and Constantine.
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