'Saw' Franchise's Darren Lynn Bousman To Direct Psychological Thriller 'Serpentine'
News Source
β’Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:23:14 +0000
π° What Happened
Darren Lynn Bousman, who directed several "Saw" horror films, will direct a new thriller called "Serpentine". The film is set in a quiet New England town where organized crime, crooked cops, buried secrets and the competitive world of figure skating all crash into each other. A woman thinks she has found a way out of a dangerous life, then learns that escape has a price. Bousman said he wanted to try something outside horror while keeping the fear and tension. He compared the feel to the crime film "Fargo".
π The Backstory
Bousman directed "Saw II", "Saw III" and "Saw IV" and has worked mostly in horror since. "Fargo" is a 1996 film by the Coen brothers that mixes a murder story with dark comedy in a snowy small town. Dream State Studios is making "Serpentine", with Brand in Entertainment as a partner. Part of the money will come from companies whose products are written into the story from the start. That way of funding films is growing, though it can shape how a script is written.
π― Why It Matters
Knowing who pays for a film helps viewers understand why a product turns up in a scene. It also gives fans of the Saw series a reason to follow a director who is trying a different kind of story. If brand money becomes normal, more films may end up built around products instead of plots. That changes what stories get told.
Darren Lynn Bousman, who directed several "Saw" horror films, will direct a new thriller called "Serpentine". The film is set in a quiet New England town where organized crime, crooked cops, buried secrets and the competitive world of figure skating all crash into each other. A woman thinks she has found a way out of a dangerous life, then learns that escape has a price. Bousman said he wanted to try something outside horror while keeping the fear and tension. He compared the feel to the crime film "Fargo".
Bousman directed "Saw II", "Saw III" and "Saw IV" and has worked mostly in horror since. "Fargo" is a 1996 film by the Coen brothers that mixes a murder story with dark comedy in a snowy small town. Dream State Studios is making "Serpentine", with Brand in Entertainment as a partner. Part of the money will come from companies whose products are written into the story from the start. That way of funding films is growing, though it can shape how a script is written.
Knowing who pays for a film helps viewers understand why a product turns up in a scene. It also gives fans of the Saw series a reason to follow a director who is trying a different kind of story. If brand money becomes normal, more films may end up built around products instead of plots. That changes what stories get told.