The removal of the film from the release calendar would seem to confirm that, but Lionsgate insists that, unlike John Kramer, the movie isn't as dead as it appears. In a statement purported to be from series mascot Billy the Puppet,

“ Saw XI ” has been axed from the release calendar. Lionsgate’s gory slasher, the 11th installment in the long-running franchise, was scheduled to open on Sept. 26, 2025. The studio will instead release another blood-soaked horror film, “The Strangers – Chapter 2,” on the newly freed date.

Lionsgate has pulled "Saw XI" from its release slate, replacing it with "The Strangers — Chapter 2" in its September 26 release slot. The slate change comes after a report from Bloody Disgusting last week in which sources close to production of "Saw XI" said that the film's producers had irreconcilable creative differences over the project that executives at Lionsgate could not smooth over.