One might accuse the director of Saw 2, Saw 3 and Saw 4 of "playing it safe" with his first three movies -- and that may be true -- but there's little denying that writer / director Darren Lynn Bousman is going out on a big limb with his fourth feature, Repo! The Genetic Opera. Based upon Bousman's own stage play (and short film), Repo tells the story of a futuristic world in which vital organs are sold, bought, traded ... and repossessed. And if the plot isn't strange enough, yep, Repo is indeed a full-bore rock opera. The trailer looks like a cross between Moulin Rouge, Phantom of the Paradise, Hostel and (of course) The Rocky Horror Picture Show -- which means (at the very least) we're looking at one fairly strange concoction here.

Lionsgate has yet to announce their release plans for Repo!, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to report. First off, feel free to pick through the newly-updated official site, which is full of bombastic music, creepy photos, and the aforementioned promo clip. Also, it looks like Bousman recently invited a few horror freaks to take a look at a rough cut, and the early responses have been pretty darn positive. Here's hoping Lionsgate figures out what they want to do with the flick sooner rather than later. It's not every day you get to see a horror musical starring Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley and Paris Hilton.

Saw sequel maker Darren Lynn Bousman has posted production blogs on several movie sites over the past few years, but this year he's settling down at FEARnet. His inaugural blog entry doesn't deliver any new casting notices or shocking surprises, but he does dole out an explanation as to why he recently signed on to direct a third Saw sequel. (As if you'd walk away from such a profitable -- and clearly enjoyable -- movie gig.) The guy's locked up for Repo: A Genetic Opera and a remake of Scanners, but for the next several months, DLB is all about the Saw sickness.

With production on Saw 4 set to begin in Toronto next week, Mr. Bousman is prepared to give us twice-weekly updates on how his third sequel is going. To kick things off he expresses a lot of affection for the Saw production family, makes no apologies for sticking with the sequels, and offers an insightful breakdown of the Saw flicks' genre-bending ways. (He also promises to chat about non-Saw-related topics, which might mean some early info on his future projects.)

In related news, Dread Central is reporting that Lyriq Bent will be returning for his third Saw installment, while Bloody-Disgusting.com indicates that Justin Louis (Dawn of the Dead) has joined the (rapidly growing) Saw 4 cast. (The backward-hat-wearing guy from Gilmore Girls has also been signed up.) Meanwhile, every horror-friendly website on the planet reminds us that Saw-master Tobin Bell will also be back for some more punishment. Unfortunately, I think it's safe to assume that the lovely Dina Meyer will not be showing up in the next sequel.