'Saw' is one of the highest-grossing horror franchises of all time.
Chris Rock is switching genres.
On Thursday, Lionsgate announced that the 54-year-old comedian is behind a new Saw movie that is to be released on Oct. 23, 2020.
"When Chris Rock came to us and described in chilling detail his fantastic vision that reimagines and spins off the world of the notorious Jigsaw Killer, we were all-in," Joe Drake, Chairman of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, said in a statement. "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."
The horror movie's screenplay is based on a story conceived by Rock, and will be directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who helmed three of the most successful films in the Saw franchise. Rock also serves as an executive producer on the film.
"I've been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004," said Rock. "I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place."
Rock also has the support of longtime Saw producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules. "Chris wants to put his own spin on the Saw franchise in the way Eddie Murphy put a completely fresh perspective on buddy-cop films with 48 Hours," the producers said in a statement. "This new Saw is going to be an event film in the making for horror fans. It will have all of the twists and turns and hardcore layers that our fans expect directed by one of the masters of the craft, Darren Lynn Bousman. We can’t wait to get started."
So far, there have been eight Saw films, which follow a series of deadly games perpetrated by a notorious serial killer.
This isn't the first time a comedian has tried their hand at the making of a horror movie. Eastbound & Down star Danny McBride was a writer on the latest Halloween film, and Key and Peele funnyman Jordan Peele is behind two horror flicks, Get Out and Us.
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