“I want to play a game”. To think those immortal words helped start one of horror’s most iconic and long-running franchises nearly twenty years ago, and now, the original Saw is returning to theaters in a big way. For the first time ever, the infamous unrated cut of the influential 2004 classic will be playing in theaters for a limited time only, just in time for the time-honored spooky season of Halloween. To celebrate this bloody limited engagement, Lionsgate released a new poster for the upcoming 20th anniversary screenings.
As a Saw fan would probably expect, the notorious mascot of Billy the Puppet (Tobin Bell) is the star of the new poster. The memorable horror movie villain looks just as good now as he did in 2004, with the only noticeable difference being the number two being added to Billy’s cheek next to the iconic spiral, forming the number twenty. The poster also promises that the unrated cut will be releasing in theaters for the first time on October 20th and October 23rd.
A look at the unrated cut of Saw on the big screen isn’t the only thing that fans will get at the upcoming screenings. The screenings will also feature a special message and bonus content from John Kramer himself, Tobin Bell. Bell will reportedly give fans a behind-the-scenes look at James Wan and Leigh Wannell‘s franchise-starting hit that will shine a new light on the all-time classic.
The ‘Saw’ Franchise is Still Going Strong to this Day
The massive success of the original Saw led to numerous sequels being developed, with the seventh installment, Saw 3D, initially closing the book on John Kramer’s story (even though John Kramer technically dies in Saw III). Despite the seemingly definitive conclusion, numerous attempts were made to revive the franchise, all to fairly mixed results. Jigsaw and Spiral didn’t spark the same level of interest that the other films did, and it wasn’t until Saw X that fans really started to get reinvested in the notoriously wacky timeline of the Saw saga.
It’s a saga that is still going strong to this day and is set to continue soon. Saw XI is set to premiere in 2025, directed by Saw VI and Saw 3D director Kevin Greutert. The upcoming installment will once again see Tobin Bell star as John Kramer and will presumably pick up where Saw X left off. Screenwriter Marcus Dunstan promises the film will somehow be even “angrier” than the past installments, ensuring that the upcoming game will be the most terrifying installment yet.
Saw XI premieres in theaters on September 26th, 2025, while the original Saw is available to stream on Max.
via Collider