The Saw Reboot has officially kicked off production! We first learned back in May that comedian Chris Rock, rather surprisingly, had partnered with Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures to revamp the long-running horror franchise. Now we have word that filming is underway, with Samuel L. Jackson confirmed to be amongst the new cast members. Not only that, but it's also been confirmed that this sequel will be part of the ongoing canon.

Plot details are still largely being kept under wraps, but Chris Rock will play a cop investigating a series of violent crimes. Samuel L. Jackson is on board as his father. Max Minghella (The Handmaid's Tale) will play Rock's Partner, William Schenk. Lastly, Marisol Nichols (Riverdale) will play police captain Angie Garza, who serves as Rocks' boss. Joe Drake, chairman of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, had this to say in a statement.

"We think Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock along with Max Minghella and Marisol Nichols make this film completely special in the 'Saw' canon and we can't wait to unleash this unexpected and sinister new story on fans of this franchise. This is next level of 'Saw' on full tilt."

This is all a lot to process. It's crazy enough that a new Saw movie is coming as the result of Chris Rock's self-proclaimed love for the franchise, which started in 2004 with James Wan's initial, twisted entry. Yet, now we have Samuel L. Jackson, one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, also on board and they're somehow going to tie this all into the crazy continuity that already exists? With that in mind, it's probably for the best that Darren Lynn Bousman, who helmed Saw II, III and IV, is returning to the director's chair for this one.

Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg penned the screenplay for the new installment, which still doesn't have an official title. Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who are veterans of the series, are on board as producers. Franchise creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell are also on board as executive producers, alongside longtime executive producer Daniel Heffner. Chris Rock is also set to produce, in addition to his on-screen duties.

To date, the eight entries in the Saw franchise have grossed a combined $976 million worldwide. Given their low budgets, they've been highly profitable ventures for Lionsgate. Generally speaking, the movies follow John Kramer (Tobin Bell), aka the Jigsaw Killer, who designs elaborate and deadly traps in order to teach his potential victims a lesson about life. The most recent entry, Jigsaw, was released in 2017. It's unclear if Bell will be reprising his role in the upcoming movie. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details on the project are made available. Saw 9 is set to arrive in theaters on October 23, 2020. This news was previously reported by Variety.