Highlights
- The Saw franchise is often dismissed as "torture porn" by non-fans, but hardcore fans appreciate its hilariously complex storyline.
- Saw X is a direct sequel to the 2004 original and will be set between the events of Saw and Saw II, exploring John Kramer's earlier days as a serial killer seeking revenge.
- Tobin Bell will return as John Kramer in Saw X, making it a significant installment that focuses on the iconic killer's past adventures rather than introducing a new character.
There are few horror franchises with the cultural impact of Saw. The first film was made for practically no money, one recognizable star, and a killer premise, which made it a phenomenon. The sequels descended into chaotic unpredictability, wavering wildly in quality. With the tenth entry on the way to theaters this fall, dedicated fans will be mapping out the increasingly circuitous flow of events with yet another unexpected turn.
The cultural consensus on the Saw franchise, as explained by non-fans, is that it's meaningless "torture porn" that exists exclusively to deliver unconvincing gore to blood-starved masses. The narrative is secondary to the assorted Mortal Kombat fatalities on display. Hardcore fans may enjoy the violence, but many come to Saw for the hilariously overcomplicated storyline, which adds layers with every new entry.
When is Saw X set?
Saw X is set to take place between the events of Saw and Saw II. It is a direct sequel to the 2004 original, placing its events sometime around 2004. The franchise has established a rich list of happenings before and between those two films through regular flashbacks. The premise of the film will see John Kramer seek an experimental cancer treatment in Mexico. When he discovers the advertised miracle cure is actually a scam aimed at the terminally ill, he exacts revenge through his usual methods.
Kramer will have been a serial killer for some time at this point. An addict held up a clinic at knifepoint, then accidentally wounded Kramer's pregnant wife, forcing her to miscarry. He was given a terminal cancer diagnosis, in part due to a negligent doctor mislabeling his chart. His insurance company declined all of his claims for shoddy reasons. He attempted suicide, leading him to begin constructing his absurd traps. Almost all the Saw sequels have played with the idea of John Kramer returning from his on-screen death in Saw III. Saw X will cut out the middleman by simply depicting a never-before-seen adventure from his earlier days.
How will it affect the franchise timeline?
John Kramer is far from the only one conducting the Jigsaw Murders. He has several apprentices and copycat killers. Due to the franchise's structure, many of those allies will be active during the events of Saw X. Logan Nelson, the doctor who mislabeled Kramer's brain scan leading to his late-stage diagnosis, was one of the first victims of Jigsaw. After surviving his trap, he became an accomplice. Logan created the reverse bear trap test that would become a series favorite. Amanda Young, a fragile heroin addict who was present at Kramer's wife's miscarriage, joins the Jigsaw team after surviving the bear trap. Mark Hoffman, a detective who attempted to cover a murder by disguising it as a Jigsaw killing, was recruited by Kramer before the events of Saw. Finally, Dr. Lawrence Gordon joined Kramer after he survived his ordeal in the original film.
Before the events of Saw, at least four people worked together to pull off the Jigsaw Murders. Logan helped trap Amanda, and Amanda helped trap Dr. Gordon. Jigsaw swiftly became a nom de plum for a small team, some of which occasionally stabbed each other in the back or acted alone. Shawnee Smith, the actress behind Amanda Young, is set to appear in Saw X, bringing her back into the franchise for the first time since the sixth entry. There has been no word of Hoffman or Gordon's portrayers joining the film. Moving the action to Mexico might be a great way of distancing John Kramer from the actions of his accomplices. It could be entirely unrelated to the events of the other nine movies, leaving John back in the United States just in time to put Donnie Wahlberg's son in a safe.
Will Tobin Bell return to the role?
Tobin Bell is John Kramer. He will be back for Saw X. Bell has only been absent for one entry in the franchise, 2021's Spiral. John Kramer died in Saw III. Every other entry has brought Tobin Bell back to portray the character in flashbacks. Bell was the secret weapon of the first film, an instant horror icon who bravely lifted the concept onto his back and carried it across the finish line. Like most horror franchises, Saw gradually shifted its focus away from victims and toward the killer. Saw X seems primed to be the most significant version of that idea.
John Kramer will always be one of the most iconic horror villains. Saw made a grievous error in killing him off, though his terminal illness left them with few other options. Fans will be delighted to see Tobin Bell in the leading role again after six years. Saw X feels more like a spin-off than a direct sequel, but it's arguably taking the wisest approach. Rather than try to make a new killer for the fifth time, relying entirely on flashbacks through a hazy filter, or resurrect a character who has been canonically dead for 17 years, they're taking John Kramer on vacation. Saw X could be the first of several adventures that let John Kramer play in the past rather than moving the impossibly complicated story forward.