An original idea developed in 2004 in Melbourne, Australia, by filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell, spawned the Saw franchise. In doing so it created one of the most influential horror villains in cinema history – John Kramer, aka ‘Jigsaw’ – a terminally-ill cancer patient whose rigorous views on sin and redemption inspired him to create grim survival scenarios for lives he feels are unexamined.
Over the course of seven films, the franchise has grossed $874 million worldwide, and Jigsaw, the latest entry in the franchise – like its predecessors that got a Halloween release date – promises to up the ante even higher with a story that delves into a series of copycat ‘Jigsaw’ killings.
In developing Jigsaw, the filmmakers broke away from the tradition of releasing a new Saw film every year since the franchise’s debut 13 years ago. It has, in fact, been seven years since Saw 3D.
“We didn’t have to rush,” says Jigsaw producer Oren Koules, who was approached by screenwriters Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger and worked with them to realise a screenplay that ratchets up the suspense and invention to a whole new level. “We really got to develop a script, hire great directors, a great cinematographer, and I think everyone’s in for a fun ride.”
Given the immense success of the franchise to date, finding the right director was of paramount importance. Whoever took on the mantle had big shoes to fill – after all, original director Wan went on to become one of the most revered horror filmmakers in Hollywood.
To this end, Jigsaw’s producers turned to Australian sibling directing team Michael and Peter Spierig, in whom they saw directors who would undoubtedly bring something fresh and innovative to the series. “Our goal was to go back to the thriller aspects of the franchise,” says Peter Spierig. “The best versions of Saw are when it’s a thriller, and it’s about the twists and turns, and the excitement of figuring out whodunit. That’s the stuff we love.”
The character of Jigsaw is memorable, because he’s not a slasher
Spierig’s brother Michael adds that it was also imperative to honour the twisted construct of John Kramer’s legacy as a killer who gives his victims the ultimate choice. “It’s the idea that he creates the kind of confessional environment for everybody to atone for their sins,” he says. “It’s an interesting dynamic for a villain, and that’s fun to play with. There are some really interesting moral dilemmas in these films.”
Producer Oren Koules describes the character of Jigsaw as memorable, because he’s not a slasher.
“He doesn’t run around through forests, he’s not getting a girl in the shower. He’s actually a real thinker. He’s an engineer. When you talk about Jigsaw, about John Kramer, is he the protagonist? Is he the antagonist? Is he the hero or the villain? James Wan and Leigh Whannell created a character who is iconic because he’s a thinking man’s villain.”
The series has distinguished itself over the years by refusing to be the horror franchise that settles for less when it comes to keeping it alive. It is rooted in the mysteries of Jigsaw, who preaches an ideal of appreciating life and savouring every moment, and at the same time he deals in fear and terror. Wan himself may have put it most succinctly when he said: “Jigsaw’s intentions are good, but his methods are not”.
The Saw films are also notable for the way their central malevolent force, so richly embodied by actor Tobin Bell’s gravely intoned performance, has existed as both a flesh-and-blood person and an off-camera manipulator through his voice, his games, and the intricately designed, clockwork traps that are their own works of art.
Spoiler alert: Kramer’s death in Saw III certainly didn’t put an end to the murders – accomplices and disciples abound – and it’s given the franchise a singular aura of beyond-the-grave menace. Jigsaw is no exception: Kramer’s legacy imbues every scene with a mixture of awe, confusion, and terror.
Jigsaw stars Matt Passmore, Callum Keith Rennie, Clé Bennett, Hannah Emily Anderson, Laura Vandervoort, Mandela Van Peebles, Paul Braunstein, Brittany Allen, Josiah Black, and returning to the iconic role, Tobin Bell as Jigsaw.