Summary
- The future of the Saw franchise is uncertain, even for the director of Saw X.
- Saw X explores John Kramer’s story and takes place between the first two movies. It focuses on his search for cancer treatment in Mexico, only to discover a terrible fraud against him.
- Expanding the franchise with new spinoffs could be a possibility, learning from the setbacks of the 2021 movie Spiral.
The future of the Saw franchise beyond its tenth movie is uncertain, even for the director behind Saw X. The premiere of the latest installment in the horror saga is just around the corner, presenting a new story to connect the whole mythology of one of the most influential franchises within the genre. Filmmaker Kevin Greutert has been part of the saga since the very beginning, joining original creator James Wan as an editor on the first movie, and reprising his role for the fourth sequel and the 2017 prequel Jigsaw. He later stepped in as a director, helming Saw VI and Saw 3D. Now he’s returning to the saga as the man behind the cameras for the latest movie, which will travel back in time once again to dive deeper into John Kramer’s story, with Tobin Bell returning as the main star.
Although this movie may seem like the perfect way to offer an epic conclusion to the franchise, for stories like this one, things are never definitive. However, the path that a potential future chapter could take is uncertain, even for Greutert. In an interview with SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar+), the filmmaker spoke about what could be next for Saw:
“There’s no obvious new direction to go after this film. But I think there probably will be more Saw movies, particularly if this one is successful.”
Saw X is set between the first two movies, centering on Kramer trying to find a proper and effective treatment for his cancer, which leads him to Mexico. However, his hopes are dashed when he discovers that he is the victim of a terrible fraud planned to take advantage of the vulnerable and desperate.
The movie also stars Shawnee Smith returning as Amanda Young, Synnove Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Michael Beach, Renata Vaca, Paulette Hernandez, Joshua Okamoto, and Octavio Hinojosa. Saw X is set to hit theaters on September 29.
How Could the Saw Franchise Continue?
Although the attempt to expand the franchise in 2021 with Spiral: From the Book of Saw was considered a setback for the series by many fans, it is possible that learning from a few of the mistakes that movie made could be the right path for the franchise’s future. At this stage, it seems that the Kramer story is hard to extend beyond everything that’s been done so far, so the idea of introducing new spinoffs could work.
Spiral also tried to play with a different tone than the previous movies, but if the writers involved manage to deliver a story within the same universe that still respects the rules of the original films, it could be a good opportunity to build a new saga within the world of Saw.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw starred Chris Rock and Max Minghella as two detectives investigating a case of murders that share a lot of similarities to the ones committed by Jigsaw, opening the door to new characters and stories to tell.
