Saw 10 Bringing Back The Best Character?
The cast continues to expand for Saw 10, the latest chapter in Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ billion-dollar horror movie franchise. According to MovieWeb, series veteran Shawnee Smith is circling the newest entry, which is currently in production in Mexico City. The actress was introduced as Amanda Young, one of the victims of Jigsaw in the original 2004 movie, and she appeared in several subsequent entries.
Plot details for Saw 10 are being kept heavily under wraps at this time, but we do know that Tobin Bell is back as John Kramer in some capacity. When it was announced in October that the award-winning actor would be returning to the franchise he helped launch, fans were undoubtedly excited but understandably confused. Kramer met his demise in Saw III after years of battling cancer.
As for Amanda, she was also thought to have died in the third entry, making her possible return in Saw 10 perplexing. After being one of the few test subjects to successfully escape her trap before meeting a gruesome demise in Saw, she seemingly finds herself once again playing a deadly game in Saw II. Of course, she’s revealed to be Jigsaw’s accomplice in the sequel’s final moments, which is a role she continues to fulfill in Saw III before dying as a result of not playing by the rules set forth by John Kramer in his latest game.
At this point, it’s unknown how the two purportedly deceased characters will be incorporated into the narrative of Saw 10, but presumably, it will be through flashbacks sequences, which the series has frequently utilized over the course of nearly a dozen films. Then again, the sequel could be taking a page from 2017’s Jigsaw, where the final twist revealed that the film was actually a prequel that takes place before the events of the first Saw. Whatever the case, it’s probably safe to say that John Kramer and his victim-turned-accomplice, Amanda Young, will have significant parts in the latest installment.
Kevin Greuter has been tapped to direct Saw 10, from a screenplay by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger. Greuter is a series veteran, having helmed Saw VI and Saw 3D: The Final Chapter. Before that, he edited Saw I through V and Jigsaw.
Last year, Lionsgate attempted to take the franchise in a different direction with Spiral: From the Book of Saw, starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. Although the film centered on a new twisted mastermind with his own motive, it was set in the same universe where Jigsaw previously wreaked havoc. It’s interesting to note that Spiral technically serves as the ninth film in the series, and with the next sequel being called Saw 10, we can’t help but wonder if the entire saga is more connected than we’re being led to believe.
Saw 10 is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 27, 2023. Although Shawnee Smith’s return as Amanda isn’t quite a done deal, Tobin Bell’s return as John Kramer/Jigsaw has been confirmed by various photos from the movie’s set. In addition, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, and Michael Beach have all inked deals to appear in the upcoming sequel, although there’s no word yet on the characters they’ll play.
