Spiral: From the Book of Saw release date moves forward

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Over the course of the past year, we've certainly become accustomed to release dates being pushed back due to COVID, but if you're hungry for more elaborate and bloody death-traps from the world of Saw, then you'll be pleased to know that Lionsgate have actually pushed up the release date for Spiral: From the Book of Saw.

After experiencing several reshufflings, Spiral: From the Book of Saw was slated to hit theaters on May 21st, but Lionsgate's President of Distribution David Spitz announced today that the film will now open on May 14th. "With movie theaters now open in New York and Los Angeles and moviegoers returning to their favorite pastime, Spiral, starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, puts a fresh spin on a favorite franchise," said Spitz. "We know that Saw fans, as well as those experiencing their first Saw adventure, will be on the edge of their seats with this thrilling new film. We are proud to support the exhibitors with one of our most eagerly awaited films. We are confident this film will kick off a robust summer moviegoing season." There you have it.

The official synopsis for Spiral: From the Book of Saw:

A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw. Working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed police veteran (Samuel L. Jackson), brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.

Darren Lynn Bousman, who directed Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV, is back in the director's chair once again for Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and he teased earlier this year that although the film will be something new, it will still have plenty of ties to the mythology of the franchise. "Chris [Rock] came in with a thriller concept," Bousman said. "He pitched this very elaborate, dense idea. We wanted it to feel much more like Seven. But it has so many ties to the mythos of Saw." Bousman added that one way the film will be changing up the franchise is to tone down the gore, at least a little bit. "I was a younger person," Bousman said of his earlier Saw films. "Gore and violence was the gimmick, I think. Gore and violent is no longer a gimmick – it just serves the story. This is much more about character, tension and fear."