Twisted Pictures and Lions Gate Films have tapped musicvid helmer Darren Lynn Bousman to direct "Saw 2."
Bousman will face a breakneck production schedule. Principal photography is set to begin May 2 in Toronto for a Halloween release.
The original "Saw" bowed last Halloween and earned more than $80 million worldwide.
Bousman wrote the "Saw 2" screenplay, which he developed with Leigh Whannel, writer and co-star of the original pic, and James Wan, the pic's director.
Twisted principals Gregg Hoffman, Oren Koules and Mark Burg produce the sequel.
Wan and Whannel are executive producers with Stacey Testro; Lions Gate president of acquisitions, TV and co-productions Peter Block; and Lions Gate senior VP of acquisitions Jason Constantine.
"Saw" was the first title under the Twisted, the genre production arm of Evolution Entertainment. Twisted is currently shooting "Catacombs," starring Shannyn Sossamon and Alecia Moore (aka Pink). That film is produced via Twisted's nine-pic distribution and financing deal with Lions Gate.
Contact Dana Harris at
dana.harris@variety.com