Tobin Bell is reprising the role of John Kramer, a.k.a. Jigsaw, a.k.a. the Jigsaw Killer in the latest entry in the Saw franchise – the tenth entry, which is why we’re referring to it as Saw X. Filming is well underway in Mexico City, and in fact nearly a month has gone by since Bell was spotted on the set. Now Deadline has confirmed the names of three of Bell’s co-stars: Synnøve Macody Lund (Ragnarok), Steven Brand (The Sandman), and Michael Beach (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story). They also revealed that Shawnee Smith may not be officially signed on to appear in the movie just yet, but she is “circling” it.
Details on the characters Lund, Brand, and Beach will be playing are being kept under wraps. But if Smith signs on, she would be reprising the role of Jigsaw’s apprentice Amanda Young. Amanda previously appeared in Saw, Saw II, Saw III, and Saw VI. She died in Saw III, but so did Jigsaw and he’s still around.
Saw VI and Saw: The Final Chapter director Kevin Greutert is back at the helm for Saw X. Jigsaw and Spiral: From the Book of Saw screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg have written the script. Stolberg has promised that this movie “is gonna make John Kramer fans very happy!” It has been said that “The upcoming Saw movie is planned to be very much a John Kramer story … The idea is that the story is being told from Kramer’s point of view as opposed to following the trap victims.”
Franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules provided the following statement: “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.” They have previously said, “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.”
Deadline reminds us that Bell’s Kramer (otherwise known as Jigsaw) is “the antagonist at the heart of the Saw franchise – a former civil engineer who was diagnosed with colon cancer and subsequently elected to test others’ will to live via a series of deadly games. The character appeared in the first three Saw films before being killed off, then going on to appear via flashbacks in most of the films that followed.”
Saw X is shrouded in mystery, and its release date is still ten months away. It’s scheduled to reach theatres on October 27, 2023.
Do you hope to see Shawnee Smith in Saw X? And what do you think about Lund, Brand, and Beach joining the cast? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.