A one-off thriller turned into a gore-filled soap opera, the Saw franchise has been going strong for nine films now, with not one but two separate soft reboots in four years. Originally created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, the franchise focuses on the antics of “The Jigsaw Killer,” a malicious murderer who forces his victims into sadistic “games” that they either win or lose by living or dying, respectively. The franchise was a smash hit, spawning annual installments from 2004 to 2010 and raking in more than one billion dollars of box-office revenue across all films combined.

While the first seven films were directly connected to each other, the subsequent spinoff and ninth entry, Spiral, took a different approach to the series continuity, gradually distancing itself from the involvement of Tobin Bell’s “Jigsaw” while leaning more into police investigations and mystery elements. On top of this, the exponentially-increasing extremity of the series’ signature traps was toned down significantly. With a tenth installment on the way, we have to ask: how does Saw 9 set the stage for Saw 10?

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With Tobin Bell’s return to the franchise, we’re already facing an interesting conundrum: will Jigsaw be the focus once again?

As viewers may recall, the latest entry in the Saw franchise, Spiral, ended the same way as most Saw films. Our hero – Zeke Banks (Chris Rock) – failed to save his father and stop the copycat killer, William Schenk (Max Minghella). With both characters alive and well, it’s more than likely that they’ll stick around for another installment.

The Saw franchise is no stranger to characters making repeat appearances. In the original continuity, multiple victims and investigators alike play a significant role in multiple films, from serving as Jigsaw’s apprentices to narrowly avoiding death by his hand time and time again. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Banks and Schenk return to play another game or at least expand the ever-growing Saw mythos.

The thing is, Tobin Bell returning as Jigsaw throws a wrench into the works. Short of recanting the details of his death in Spiral, his involvement in a grander story would have to take place at some point before the events of Saw 3. What’ll probably happen is that it’ll be handled with another dual narrative – one set in the present, the other in the past – similar to how Jigsaw’s appearance worked in Jigsaw. Seeing as how Saw 10 was in development even before Spiral was released in theaters, it’s practically guaranteed.

Saw was never exactly a cutting-edge satire. Nonetheless, social issues served as a direct inspiration for Jigsaw’s murders. Be it health insurance woes, selfishness, or even just valuing one’s own existence, Jigsaw has typically always killed for one reason or another. While that reasoning became muddled as the series constantly reinvented its own backstory, it remained a significant aspect of Spiral’s themes.

Though the copycat killer acts out of revenge, themes of police brutality and systemic corruption are trickled throughout the entire film, from the character of Banks being ostracized for outing a corrupt cop to multiple victims being targeted for their role in illegal coverups. Yes, Spiral was technically developed before the summer riots of 2020, but these films don’t necessarily have to take advantage of what’s in the news to point out current issues. Even Chris Rock himself and the film’s director, Darren Lynn Bousman, reflect this idea in a piece from the Los Angeles Times.

Way Less Flashbacks

Regardless of if you loved or hated Spiral, one thing is sure: there weren’t any convoluted flashbacks. What made the original Saw film and Spiral work so well is that there was no overarching mythos or elaborate plotting. It was a comparatively simple mystery story with the grisly Saw traps we’ve come to expect, a melding of what made the first and later entries work so well.

A lack of flashbacks would be welcomed back with open arms. Given that Spiral isn’t technically a mainline Saw entry, it’s entirely possible that Saw 10 will ape the structure of Jigsaw and connect it to the increasingly-complicated story of Tobin Bell’s mastermind. With how films have changed throughout the years since Saw’s initial release, it could go either way.

A Different Tone for Saw 10

Spiral injected something refreshing into the franchise, giving Spiral a distinct feeling compared to other Saw films – humor. While the film’s jokes were largely made up by the actors themselves, it nonetheless gave the film a welcomed levity that compliments the extreme violence.

Humor opens the door to making more accessible Saw films. Should Saw 10 be more self-aware about itself, it’d be a natural segue into poking fun at the franchise’s own ridiculousness. Seeing as how Saw 10 will be directed by Kevin Greutert, who was responsible for the enjoyable Saw 6 and loathed Saw 7, we’ll just have to wait and see what’s being rigged together.