Earlier this year, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures announced that the Saw franchise isn’t done yet, revealing that a tenth installment of the horror franchise is coming next year. Few details were revealed, and still remain murky, but fans of the franchise have an exciting thing to look forward to: the return of Tobin Bell. He will reprise his role as John Kramer (aka Jigsaw) for the upcoming movie. This will mark the ninth Saw movie Bell has starred in, with the most recent Spiral: From the Book of Saw being the only movie he didn’t appear in.
Bell has been part of the franchise since its inception in the early 2000s. He plays the iconic Jigsaw killer whose methods involve placing his victims in elaborate, terrifying, and frequently fatal traps in order to teach them some sort of lesson. So, technically speaking, he never quite gets blood on his hands (at least not literally). Though Kramer died early in the franchise, Bell continued to pop up. And yes, he was really and truly dead. Through flashbacks and voice recordings, the movies kept both Kramer and his legacy alive by continuing his games through his followers.
Saw first released in 2004 and focused on Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and Adam (Leigh Wannell), strangers who wake up in a dilapidated bathroom with no memory of how they got there. Soon after, they realize they are trapped with a dead body and are part of a twisted game created by the Jigsaw Killer. The movie ushered in mixed reviews but was ultimately a box office success and has since become a horror staple. In the following years, eight movies would follow: Saw II through VI, Saw: The Final Chapter (also known as Saw 3D), and Jigsaw. In 2021, Spiral released and focused on a new trio hunting down a killer with a similar MO as Jigsaw.
Saw 10 will be directed by Kevin Greutart, who worked primarily as an editor for the first five movies and Jigsaw. He also directed Saw VI and Saw: The Final Chapter. Plot details are being kept under wraps with more information to come closer to the start of production. However, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures have ensured that it will include “all-new twisted, ingenious traps and a new mystery to solve.” With Bell’s casting, they hope to capture what fans love about the franchise while bringing something fresh to the screen. No additional casting has been revealed at this time.
About Bell’s return, franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules said:
“What a thrill to be reuniting with Tobin. His performance as John Kramer is part of the magic that made this franchise a phenomenon and his character is an active part of this film.”
Saw 10 is currently set to release in theaters on October 27, 2023.
via Collider