A handful of delightfully horrific franchises are returning to the big screen in 2023 including the now-confirmed Saw 10, but it’s unclear where the gory series’ tenth installment fit into the timeline. The director of Saw VI and Saw 3D: The Final Chapter is returning to direct the unofficially titled Saw 10, a possible prequel confirmed to start filming in late 2022. Given the saga’s fondness for convoluted flashbacks, the question of when might Saw 10 take place is even more complicated than it seems.
The most recent installment in the Saw franchise is Spiral: From The Book Of Saw directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (director of Saw II, III, and IV). Stand-up comedian Chris Rock stars as Detective Zeke Banks on a mission to take down a violent Jigsaw copycat. The spin-off premiered to mixed reviews, although its significant underperformance at the box office put a spotlight on Spiral’s negative reception. Tobin Bell does not return as John Kramer in Spiral, meaning that, thus far, the Jigsaw actor’s last appearance in the Saw franchise is in Jigsaw, another installment with heavy backlash from the fan base.
Along with Lionsgate’s announcement that Saw 10 will be released on October 27, 2023, Saw producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules have put out a statement teasing the film’s content. “We have been listening to what the fans have been asking for and are hard at work planning a movie that Saw aficionados and horror fans alike will love” (via Variety). Considering the focal point of Saw’s criticism in recent years has been the saga’s avoidance of its original material, this statement likely implies Saw will be returning to its roots. To place Saw 10 definitively on the non-linear timeline, however, the rumored Saw X story featuring John Kramer traveling to Mexico for cancer treatment should be considered. The greenlit film is scheduled to begin shooting in Mexico in November 2022. The rumored narrative should place Saw 10 on the franchise’s timeline between Saw II and Saw III.
Saw 10 Should Take Place Between Saw 2 And Saw 3
Rumors about the John Kramer-centric film began surfacing when Spiral writer Josh Stolberg revealed on his Instagram he finished the script for the next Saw. The prequel will bring back Kramer between Saw II and Saw III mainly because of Tobin Bell’s older age, as it will be easier to excuse his appearance if Jigsaw’s cancer is at its worst. Bell’s age is not the only reason Stolberg’s throwback plot will likely be confirmed. Kevin Greutert’s exciting return to the director’s chair could be great for nostalgia. Greutert directed Saw 3D which finally brought Lawrence Gordon back to the franchise. There is a chance for more fan service if Saw 10 fits between Saw II and Saw III since many of Jigsaw’s apprentices will still be alive.
While only the release date and director for Saw 10 are confirmed so far, more details will begin to drop as Halloween 2023 draws nearer. As shooting is to start in Mexico in 2022, Josh Stolberg’s rumored John Kramer story may be confirmed soon. Even considering the Saw franchise’s entertainingly baffling timeline, returning to the highly acclaimed early days of the torture saga should be what’s best for Saw 10.
