The SAW franchise is now in the hands of Blumhouse in the wake of Saw X, but the franchise’s birthplace can be traced back to the raucous midnight screening at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.
That small but significant piece of horror history is just a sliver of the annals of Sundance being honored at the upcoming 2026 edition of the festival, its final year in Park City, Utah, before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. Sundance is celebrating its expansive and rich history through archival and restoration screenings of iconic films from previous editions, including a special legacy screening of Saw.
In the original film from director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell, “Two men awaken to find themselves on the opposite sides of a dead body, each with specific instructions to kill the other, escape, or face the consequences. These two are the latest contestants in Jigsaw’s games.”
Whannell also stars in the film alongside Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, and Tobin Bell.
The Park City Legacy program will feature a digital restoration of Saw from a 4K scan of the 35 mm Interpositive (IP), which was supervised and approved by Wan himself, who will be in attendance for the special screening along with other guests that have yet to be announced.
“This will be an especially poignant year for us as we reflect on the vision of our late Founder, Robert Redford, who redefined cinema and provided a home for generations of artists when he created Sundance Institute. In the coming weeks as we announce the projects premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, we aim to have these compelling new stories in conversation with films from the Festival’s first four decades and also share moments that connect our history as a Festival with the present and future of independent filmmaking,” said Eugene Hernandez, Director, Sundance Film Festival and Public Programming.
“We’re looking forward to honoring the Festival’s time in Park City and Robert Redford’s legacy. His fearless support of artistic integrity and risk-taking is at the core of the work we continue to do, and the 2026 Festival will be a celebration of that important mission.”
Since 1985, hundreds of films launched at the Festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim and reach new audiences worldwide. That also includes Little Miss Sunshine, House Party, Half Nelson, American Dream, and Mysterious Skin, all joining Saw in the special Legacy lineup of archival screenings.
Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 22, at 9 a.m. PT/10 a.m. MT/noon ET. In-Person Ticket Packages and Passes and Online Ticket Packages and Passes will be on sale at festival.sundance.org/tickets. Single Film Tickets will go on sale starting January 14, 2026.
Before Sundance moves forward, it’s looking back with a touching salute to years past. It’s only fitting that it salutes the first public screening of the groundbreaking horror movie that left an indelible mark on modern horror.
