Latest news with #TwistedPictures
Geek Tyrant
3 days ago
- Business
- Geek Tyrant
Blumhouse Acquires SAW Rights From Twisted Pictures; James Wan Comes Back to the Franchise — GeekTyrant
Blumhouse is stepping into the blood-soaked legacy of Saw . Jason Blum's horror studio is acquiring the rights to Twisted Pictures' share of the Saw franchise. This is a big and interesting move, especially since it brings James Wan, who directed the first film in the franchise, back into the franchise. Lionsgate still owns 50% of the Saw IP and will remain an active partner in future projects. But Twisted Pictures' Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who've steered the ship from the beginning, are handing off their share, signaling a major shift for the long-running horror brand. At the moment, no new Saw film is officially in development. Still, this shake-up makes it inevitable that more Jigsaw mayhem is coming. For horror fans, this will mark a fresh era for the franchise. Blumhouse has already worked with both Wan and Leigh Whannell on hits like Insidious and The Invisible Man . Reuniting with the Saw universe could spark a tonal recalibration, especially after the stalled development of Saw XI. That project, once aimed at a September 2025 release, hit a wall when Lionsgate and producers couldn't align creatively. A script from Saw veterans Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan had been submitted, with Saw X director Kevin Greutert on board. But despite Saw X pulling in $112M globally on an $18.3M opening weekend, plans for the eleventh film were shelved. The original Saw was made on a shoestring budget and exploded out of the gate with an $18.6M opening, eventually grossing $104M worldwide. Over time, the franchise racked up over $1 billion in global box office, and its influence spread into games, comics, haunted house attractions, Halloween masks… you name it. At the heart of the franchise is John 'Jigsaw' Kramer and his disciples trapping victims in horrific moral games, doling out punishment and enlightenment through gore and psychological terror. With Blumhouse now in the game, and Wan potentially closer to the property than he's been in years, the question is no longer if Saw will return—but how. Let the games begin… again. Source: Deadline
Geek Culture
3 days ago
- Business
- Geek Culture
Blumhouse Potentially Acquiring 'Saw' Rights, Reconnecting Co-Creator James Wan With Franchise
In a deal that would mark a full-circle moment for the Saw franchise, Deadline has reported that Blumhouse is in talks to acquire the ownership stake of the intellectual property (IP) from Twisted Pictures. It's an old back-and-forth between the two companies, but if the takeover goes through, the cult horror series will partially be back in the hands of original film director James Wan, also credited as co-creator alongside scribe Leigh Whannell. Lionsgate, distributor of the movies since 2004, is set to remain a partner. Blumhouse, founded by Jason Blum, merged with Wan's production banner, Atomic Monster, early last year. Some of its notable upcoming titles for the year include M3GAN 2.0 , releasing on 27 June, and Five Nights at Freddy's 2 , slated to hit the silver screen in December. As for Saw , it went against the slim odds of an 18-day shoot and a US$1.2 million production budget to become one of the most profitable horror movies of all time. The feature earned a global haul of US$104 million, spawning several sequels that centred on trapped victims of notorious serial killer John 'Jigsaw' Kramer trying to survive through physical or psychological torture. The first follow-up, titled Saw II , debuted one year later in October 2005, with the last instalment being 2023's Saw X . An 11th film was previously in development for September 2025, but is no longer on the release slate after conflicting producer visions stalled the process. Veteran actor Tobin Bell was originally set to reprise his role as Jigsaw, and while it's unclear how things will now pan out, Billy the Puppet — the ventriloquist dummy used in the films by Jigsaw — assured fans that 'the game is never over'. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really. Atomic Monster Blumhouse productions James Wan Saw
Screen Geek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
Blumhouse Acquires 'Saw' Rights From Twisted Pictures
The Saw film franchise will reportedly no longer be under the control of Twisted Pictures. The production label, which was rumored to have been suffering from disputes that kept Saw 11 from happening, is said to be giving their share of rights to Blumhouse. As shared via Deadline, this would be 'a deal that will bring James Wan back in touch with the mega horror IP he created.' The outlet adds that 'Blumhouse essentially is taking over the IP's ownership from Twisted's Mark Burg and Oren Koules.' For those wondering how Lionsgate will fit into all of this, the studio is said to 'continue to be involved as a partner and, in fact, owns 50% of the franchise.' This means Blumhouse would now own the other 50% of the franchise alongside Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures will no longer have any stake in the franchise. With that said, it's unknown what plans they could have for the franchise. There's no eleventh film in development at this time, but if Blumhouse takes over the rights, it's likely that development will be fast-tracked. Interestingly, Blumhouse recently merged with James Wan's label Atomic Monster, which means that the Saw franchise would be going back to Wan. While he's been credited as an executive producer on all of the sequels, Wan was really only ever involved with the original movie, which he directed for a release in 2004. The most recent installment in the franchise, Saw X , was a huge success with fans, critics, and at the box office. While an eleventh film seemed inevitable, things have been complicated, so one can hope that Blumhouse's reported acquisition of the rights will allow the franchise to get back on track. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional Saw updates as we have them. For now, this is a major development for one of horror's biggest franchises, and it'll be exciting to see what comes of it going forward.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Blumhouse acquires Saw franchise rights from Twisted Pictures
Blumhouse is reportedly acquiring the rights to the Saw franchise from Twisted Pictures, marking a major shift in the future of the iconic horror series. According to Deadline, the deal will give Blumhouse ownership of Twisted Pictures' 50% stake in the franchise, while Lionsgate will retain its share and remain a production partner. This move comes after Saw XI was unexpectedly pulled from its planned September 26, 2025 release. Behind-the-scenes disputes between Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures had stalled production and left the fate of the franchise uncertain. With Blumhouse now stepping in, hopes for the return of the Saw series have been reignited. Although no new Saw movie is currently in development, the acquisition suggests Blumhouse has long-term plans for the franchise. Notably, the deal also reconnects Saw with co-creator James Wan. Thanks to the recent merger between Blumhouse and Wan's Atomic Monster production company, Wan is expected to have renewed involvement with the series he helped launch. The Saw franchise began in 2004 and became one of the most successful horror film series of all time. After a successful 10th installment, fans were anticipating Saw XI until development issues paused progress. While details remain scarce, industry insiders believe that Blumhouse's track record with horror franchises could breathe new life into Saw, potentially reuniting fans with the iconic Jigsaw in the near future. More updates are expected as the transition unfolds.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Just Finished Watching 'Lost' For The First Time, And Here Are All The Guest Stars Who Had Me Pausing The Show To Google Where I'd Seen Them Before
Hello, it's me, that annoying person who always has to pause a show or movie to Google where I recognize the actor from — and let me tell you, I had an absolute field day with Lost. Yes, I know I am literally 20 years late to the party, but that only means that I had absolutely no idea that a whole bunch of actors I am familiar with for other major or minor roles in their career were kind of a big deal on Lost back in the day. So, without further ado, here are the 12 guest stars that surprised me the most when they showed up on my screen — and where it turned out that I had recognized them from. Enjoy! Emerson Fox via Disney+, Twisted Pictures / Via Starting strong with Michael Emerson, as Benjamin Linus is arguably one of the biggest roles of his career. Michael started out as a guest star in the second season of Lost, which premiered in 2005, but quickly became a pretty prominent member of the cast. Heck, he even won an Emmy for his performance as Ben in 2009. Me, on the other hand? I spent his first few episodes being totally distracted by the fact that he is Zep Hindle from the Saw franchise, which started in 2004. In fact, I can literally still hear the shaky way he tells Dr. Gordon's terrified family: 'There are rules' as they all get wrapped up in one of Jigsaw's twisted games. Other notable roles include Harold Finch in Person of Interest, and Cayden James in Arrow. Leung Fox via Disney+, Twisted Pictures / Via Speaking of Saw, when Miles Straume popped up on my screen as a new recurring character in Season 4, which premiered in 2008, I knew that I had seen his face a whole bunch of times before. Just like his Lost costar Michael, Ken Leung had starred in the very first installment of the Saw franchise, but he was on the other side of the game as Detective Steven Sing. And Saw wasn't his first rodeo when it came to tracking down the bad guys, with Ken also playing Lloyd Bowman in the 2002 Silence of the Lambs prequel Red Dragon. More standout roles include Sang in Rush Hour, Eric Tao in Industry, Michael Sima in The Blacklist, Leon Tao in Person of Interest, and even an appearance in The Sopranos. Sagal Fox via Disney+, FX When Katey Sagal made her debut as John Locke's love interest Helen Norwood in Season 2 of Lost, I was low-key delighted to see her (and, needless to say, there was no Googling required!) I first became familiar with Katey as a teen who grew up with 8 Simple Rules, where she, of course, played family matriarch Cate Hennessy between 2002 and 2005. I later got to enjoy her dark side as another matriarch, Gemma Teller Morrow, in Sons of Anarchy, which she starred in between 2008 and 2014 and won a Golden Globe for in 2011. As a Locke stan, I was thrilled to see that this time around, she was closer to Cate than Gemma, with Helen appearing in a total of four episodes of Lost between 2004 and 2010. Katey has appeared in several TV shows throughout her career, with another of her major roles being Peggy Bundy in Married… With Children. She also enjoys a successful singing career. Welliver Fox via Disney+, Fix Staying in the Sons of Anarchy world, Titus Welliver had a recurring role as Man in Black in Lost from the Season 5 finale onwards, and his character ultimately ended up being a pretty crucial part of the story. And while I was admittedly incredibly confused because I initially mistook him for Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt, I later realized that he is actually the man behind one of my least favorite Sons of Anarchy characters: the formidable Jimmy O'Phelan, who made his debut in Season 2 back in 2009. Other notable roles include Glenn Childs in The Good Wife, Detective Hieronymus 'Harry' Bosch in Bosch, and, of course, Silas Adams in Deadwood. Janney Fox via Disney+, Searchlight Pictures / Via Speaking of crucial parts to the Lost story, Allison Janney made an appearance as Mother in the 2010 Season 6 episode 'Across the Sea,' which played a pretty big role in answering some of the questions surrounding the history (and mystery) of the island. I feel like this one needs no explanation, but Allison is, of course, the iconic Oscar-and-Emmy-winning actor of The West Wing, 10 Things I Hate About You, American Beauty, Juno, The Help, I, Tonya… Honestly, the list is endless! 6.Néstor Carbonell Fox via Disney+, Apple TV+ Néstor Carbonell had a pretty stand-out role as Richard Alpert in Lost, making his debut in Season 3, which premiered in 2006. Anyone familiar with the show will have vivid memories of Richard's omnipresence on the island, and he went on to become a recurring character right up until the series finale in 2010. But if you're anything like me, you're probably more familiar with Néstor (and his remarkable natural eyeliner) for his recurring role as Yanko Flores in The Morning Show, which premiered in 2019. You may also recognize Néstor as Mayor Anthony Garcia in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Victor Machado in Ringer, and Sheriff Alex Romero in Bates Motel. Reddick Fox via Disney+, HBO / Via Lance Reddick only made a handful of appearances as Matthew Abaddon in Lost, starting in Season 4. His character is a mysterious agent of Charles Widmore, whose sole purpose was to get people to 'where they needed to be.' To me, though, he will always be Cedric Daniels from the hit TV series The Wire, which premiered in 2002. You might also know him from the John Wick movie series, Oz, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Bosch, among a ton of other great TV shows. Bowen Fox via Disney+, 20th Century Fox Toward the end of Season 1 of Lost, viewers are introduced to Jack's wife, Sarah Shephard, played by none other than Julie Bowen. Julie had a recurring role in flashback episodes of the show, but you'd be forgiven if Sarah isn't the first character who comes to mind when you think of the actress. While she is arguably best known for playing Claire Dunphy in Modern Family between 2009 and 2020, for which she won multiple Emmy awards, you might also recognize Julie from Happy Gilmore, Horrible Bosses, and Boston Legal. Minnette Fox via Disney+, Netflix / Via Sticking with versions of Jack Shephard's family tree, when his son David popped up in Season 6 of Lost, which premiered in 2010, I knew that I had seen his face before — and it all made sense when I realized that he was played by then-14-year-old Dylan Minnette, who took on a leading role as Clay in 13 Reasons Why back in 2017. You might also recognize him from Goosebumps, Don't Breathe, or as Fitzgerald "Jerry" Jr. in Scandal. Now 28, Dylan also enjoys a pretty successful music career as singer, rhythm guitarist, and bassist in the band Wallows. Mader Fox via Disney+, 20th Century Studios / Via When Ken Leung's character Miles joined the recurring cast of Lost in Season 4, he didn't come alone. One of the character's teammates was Charlotte Lewis, played by British actor Rebecca Mader. But it wasn't just Rebecca's English accent and stunning red hair that made her stand out to me; it was the fact that I recognized her from The Devil Wears Prada's most iconic scene. Rebecca plays Jocelyn in the 2006 movie, the Elias-Clark employee who holds two blue belts up to Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly and prompts Andy, played by Anne Hathaway, to scoff when she proclaims: 'They're so different.' Cue Meryl's infamous monologue. Rebecca actually had a much bigger role in Once Upon A Time, where she played Zelena, the Wicked Witch of the West, and you might also know her from All My Children. Davies Fox via Disney+, Blumhouse Productions / Via Daniel Faraday was also part of the Lost Season 4 Newcomers Gang, and was played by Jeremy Davies. This is where things get a little bit niche, as I genuinely recognized Daniel from the 2021 movie The Black Phone, but I wouldn't be surprised if I am the only one to have this film be my go-to reference. After all, it turns out that Jeremy actually had a pretty big role as Corporal Upham in Saving Private Ryan back in 1998, and also starred in the likes of Dogville, It's Kind of a Funny Story, and the 2017 TV adaptation of Sleepy Hollow. Rodriguez Fox via Disney+, Universal Pictures / Via Michelle Rodriguez, on the other hand, is by no means niche, with the actor making her debut as Ana Lucia Cortez in the Season 1 finale of Lost, which premiered in 2005. She went on to become a part of the main cast in Season 2, and returned as a guest star in later episodes, too. Of course, Michelle is best known for the Fast and Furious franchise, where she has played Letty Ortiz since 2001. She has also appeared in Resident Evil, Avatar, and the 2023 Dungeons and Dragons movie. And an honorary mention to…. Perrineau Fox via Disney+, 20th Century Studios / Via There were two main reasons I wanted to keep this list exclusively to Lost guest stars; the first being that if I included the entire cast, it would probably be unrealistically long. And the second reason being, well, I was familiar with the core cast of Lost before I started watching, and arguably knew them for those roles first — even before I'd actually watched the show. However, Harold Perrineau playing original Oceanic 815 survivor Michael Dawson still caught me off-guard, with Harold undeniably being a hugely successful actor before he ended up on the dreaded island. I most recognize him for his scene-stealing performance as Mercutio in the 1996 movie adaptation Romeo + Juliet, but he is also known for playing Link in The Matrix movie franchise, Augustus Hill in the TV series Oz, and he also played Damon Pope in Sons of Anarchy. Where did you recognize the Lost ensemble from? Let me know in the comments below! More on this Here Are The TV Episodes That Are So Good We Are Low-Key Sad That We Will Never Get To Watch Them For The First Time AgainStephanie Soteriou · Sept. 12, 2024 The Definitive Ranking Of "Lost"'s Most Iconic Momentsilenia · May 24, 2020 Harold Perrineau Detailing The Real Reason He Was Fired From "Lost" Will Have You Looking At The Show And Its Creators Completely DifferentlyMorgan Murrell · May 31, 2023 Only A True 'Lost' Fan Can Get 75% In This Character QuizRobin Edds · Jan. 4, 2017
