The Saw franchise is gearing up for a return to theaters with a "re-imagining" from famed funnyman Chris Rock. Based on a premise pitched by Rock, the movie will be penned by Jigsaw writers Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. Chris Rock had this to say about the impending horror release.

"I've been a fan of 'Saw' since the first film in 2004. I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place."

Joe Drake, Chairman of Lionsgate's Motion Picture Group, said of the movie at Cannes.

"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. 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."

Darren Lynn Bousman has also been revealed as the director of the upcoming movie. This will mark his return to the franchise after directing the second, third, and fourth installments of the series. Several other key players behind the scenes will also be back on board. Longtime Saw executive producer Daniel Heffner will be executive producing with Chris Rock and series creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who've been producing the movies since the original, will also be producing once again. Burg and Koules said this.

"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'. 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."

The Saw series began in 2004 with the released of the original movie from director James Wan. It introduced Tobin Bell as the Jigsaw Killer, a madman who forces people he abducts to undergo dangerous and painful "games" to save themselves. With a budget barely topping a million dollars, the movie grossed over $100 million at the box office. Smelling the money, sequels were then produced on a yearly based up until 2010 with the release of Saw 3D. While many of these sequels were not critically acclaimed, the movies were consistently profitable at the box office as it became an annual tradition for many horror fans to catch the new Saw movie every year.

In 2017, Hollywood revisited the franchise with the release of the new sequel Jigsaw. With the Jigsaw Killer believed to be long dead, characters in the sequel are horrified and surprised to discover themselves in the midst of what appears to be a new game devised by the infamous murderer. On a budget of $10 million, the movie topped over $100 million at the global box office once again. It didn't mark a return to the format of releasing new movies every year, but this success undoubtedly ensured that another Saw movie hitting theaters was just a matter of time.

A release date for the movie has also been revealed as October 23, 2020. This will continue the tradition previous installments have had by coming out just in time for Halloween. Hopefully, Rock will be able to handle the Jigsaw Killer just as well as he can do comedy. This information comes to us from Lionsgate.