The Knockturnal had the terrifying opportunity to speak with masters of horror, Director James Wan and Screenwriter/Actor Leigh Whannell, on the 22nd anniversary of their groundbreaking modern horror classic film, Saw, at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
The film was showcased for a special screening at The Ray Theatre during the second half of the festival on January 29, 2026, as part of the Park City Legacy Program, celebrating the many iconic and legendary films that first debuted at the festival—closing out this chapter of Sundance before the festival moves to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027.
The 2024 film centers on two dissimilar men (Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell, who also co-wrote the film) who find themselves locked in an abandoned bathroom, doing whatever they can to survive and escape, trusting their instincts and forming an unlikely alliance. Featuring Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Tobin Bell, and Shawnee Smith. This simple plot soon spawned a massive franchise and launched Billy the Puppet into a horror icon, who is still scaring audiences to this day, showing the longevity of the franchise. A twisted idea spawned by two young film students with a meager budget and a breakneck 18-day film schedule, revolutionized the horror genre and is a testament to the spirit of independent filmmaking.
We also spoke with Billy the Puppet, who was dressed appropriately for the weather, taking a break from torturing the ungrateful.
Actor and horror icon, Billy the Puppet, stuns on the press line for the Park Legacy Program anniversary screening of Saw at The Ray in Park City, UT on Jan. 29, 2026. Anastasia Ryapisova/The Knockturnal
The filmmakers treated audiences, many of whom are die-hard fans, by introducing the film and participating in a Q&A afterwards, where they reflected on their experience of developing and shooting Saw and compared their first Sundance to this retrospective screening. What sparked the most reaction from the audience was when Wan and Whannell announced their return to the franchise.
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