Saw 10: Another Franchise Staple Reportedly Returning for Sequel

By Patrick Cavanaugh

After multiple installments that aimed to reinvent the franchise, the Saw series looks to be getting back to its roots with its upcoming 10th installment, which includes the confirmed casting of Tobin Bell as John Kramer and the recent report from Deadline that Shawnee Smith would return to the series. Lionsgate confirmed that Macody Lund (Ragnarok), Steven Brand (The Sandman), and Michael Beach (Dahmer) have all joined the project, though didn't confirm reports about Smith returning to the series. While Bell last appeared in the franchise with 2017's Jigsaw, Smith last appeared in the franchise with 2006's Saw III. The new Saw is set to hit theaters on October 27, 2023.

Kevin Greutert is set to direct the film, having previously helmed Saw VI and Saw: The Final Chapter.

The debut installment of the franchise focused on how John Kramer, a man with a terminal illness, set up deadly and brutal traps in which victims were faced with the decision of making a major physical sacrifice or risk certain death. Smith's character was revealed to have survived the trap Kramer placed her in, which gave her a new appreciation for her life, for the film's sequels to reveal she became an apprentice of the deadly Kramer. Both Smith's character and Kramer died in Saw III, but flashbacks allowed Bell to continue to appear in the series.

Last year saw the debut of Spiral: From the Book of Saw, which marked the first entry into the series in which Jigsaw didn't make an appearance. Instead, the Spiral killer aimed to continue the mission that Jigsaw ignited, while also honoring the legacy of the franchise. Whether the narrative that kicked off with Spiral will be continued or not is yet to be seen, though it's possible that it could somehow unite with the proper Saw storyline.

Despite the positive reactions Spiral got, longtime fans are sure to be excited with key figures from the franchise's past making a return.

A statement about the new film reads, "The return of Bell to the franchise furthers Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' goal of a film that captures everything Saw fans love about the films, while also keeping them guessing with all-new traps and a new mystery to solve."

"What a thrill to be reuniting with Tobin," producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules added. "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."

Stay tuned for details on the new Saw before it hits theaters on October 27, 2023.

Are you hoping Smith returns to the franchise? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!  

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