For those hoping to jump into the deep end of the Saw franchise, here’s an extensive list of every single installment and when they came out, in original release order.
The newest entry in the Saw franchise, Saw X, returned to its roots, pulling the spotlight back on Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw killer. This time around, his gruesome games were held internationally, in Mexico, to be specific.
It seems Lionsgate’s approach to this installment was the right way to go about it because not only is it performing well at the box office, but it quickly became the only Saw film to be certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Saw Movies In Order of Release
As Saw X’s name would suggest, there have been ten films total in the franchise. The first was released in 2004, and they all share an inter-connected, convoluted canon spanning most of the movies—though there is one in particular that is particularly disconnected.
It is also worth noting that many of the Saw films secretly hold plenty of timeline shenanigans. So, the events depicted in the release order are not always in the exact order they played out in-universe.
The films are listed below in release order:
- Saw - October 29, 2004
- Saw II - October 28, 2005
- Saw III - October 27, 2006
- Saw IV - October 26, 2007
- Saw V - October 24, 2008
- Saw VI - October 23, 2009
- Saw 3D - October 29, 2010
- Jigsaw - October 27, 2017
- Spiral: Book of Saw - May 14, 2021
- Saw X - September 29, 2023
1.) Saw - October 29, 2004
The very first Saw was released in 2004 and followed Cary Elwes’ Dr. Lawrence Gordon and Leigh Wannell’s Adam after they wake up in a rundown bathroom chained up in corners opposite from each other.
This is the audience’s first introduction to the infamous Jigsaw killer, who tests people he thinks no longer appreciate life. Tobin Bell plays the horror icon, though the actor’s identity as the killer isn’t known for most of the film.
This movie also marks the first appearance of Shawnee Smith’s Amanda Young, who would go on to be an integral part of future Saw films.
Saw is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
2.) Saw II - October 28, 2005
Following the events of the first movie, 2005’s Saw II sees Detective Eric Matthews and his team closing in on John Kramer, the infamous Jigsaw killer. However, little did they know that a new deadly game had already been started.
Instead of a rusty bathroom, the majority of Saw II’s traps play out in a beatdown abandoned house, which is gassed with poison, whose only cure can be found as a result of beating a series of tests set up throughout the building.
After escaping the reverse bear trap in the original movie, Amanda Young gets to participate in another gruesome game alongside Matthews’ kidnapped son. She’s the star of the show in one of the franchise’s most iconic gags: the needle pit.
Saw II is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
3.) Saw III - October 27, 2006
Saw III sees Dr. Lynn Denlon, played by Bahar Soomekh, tasked with keeping John Kramer, the Jigsaw killer, alive long enough for one of his brutal games to run its course.
The game in question is centered around Angus Macfadyen’s Jeff, who is drowning in grief and anger after his son was killed in a drunk driving accident. To save his daughter, Jeff will need to gradually make his way through a handful of traps that see those involved with the death of his son fatally punished—unless he can save their lives.
Coming off her big reveal in Saw II, Shawnee Smith’s Amanda Young plays a major part in this film’s proceedings, possibly even the biggest in the franchise.
Saw III is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Hulu, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
4.) Saw IV - October 26, 2007
Saw IV follows Lyriq Bent’s Detective Rigg, who served as a supporting player in both Saw II and Saw III, as he is put through a series of tests to save Detective Eric Matthews, who was captured by Jigsaw after the events of the second movie.
This installment is important when it comes to establishing new major characters in the series.
Betsy Russell’s Jill, who was Jigsaw’s wife, and Costas Mandylor’s Hoffman get some proper time in the spotlight this time around. While both can briefly be seen in Saw III, neither was afforded any notable screen time.
The biggest selling factor for this movie, besides its mind-blowing twist, is that it also introduces another previously unknown accomplice to John Kramer’s Jigsaw.
Saw IV is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Hulu, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
5.) Saw V - October 24, 2008
Following the death of John Kramer’s Jigsaw, Mark Hoffman is now running the show, with his first big game targeting a group of people who are all connected to a dark secret—they just don’t know it yet.
While Hoffman works hard to keep Jigsaw's legacy alive and well, Scott Patterson’s Agent Straum is on the hunt, and it's only a matter of time before the truth is revealed. The movie also explores how Hoffman came to be associated with John Kramer in the first place.
The 2008 film has some truly gnarly traps, one of which even includes an actual saw blade. Oh, and its ending is bound to make many quite upset.
Saw V is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Hulu, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
6.) Saw VI - October 23, 2009
The sixth film in the series, aptly titled Saw VI, turns its gaze onto the predatory nature of the Health Insurance industry—a driving message that gives this particular entry one of the strongest punches in the whole franchise.
Peter Outerbridge’s William, who previously denied John Kramer coverage for an experimental cancer treatment, is put through a series of tests by Jigsaw where he is forced to choose between life and death for those who work for his insurance company. Many people consider this film’s Carousel Trap to be one of the best in the franchise.
Meanwhile, Mark Hoffman, having just escaped detection by Peter Strahm, is once again at risk when the police force reveals an ace up their sleeve.
Saw VI is currently streaming on Prime Video, Peacock Premium, Hulu, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
7.) Saw: 3D (also known as Saw: The Final Chapter) - October 29, 2010
Originally, Saw VII and Saw VIII were both supposed to close out the saga—but after Saw VI’s disappointing box office, fans only got Saw: The Final Chapter instead. This is easily the lowest-rated movie in the franchise, trailing only behind Saw V.
At the center of the games, is Sean Patrick Flanery’s Bobby, who has profited off a lie that he is a survivor of one of Jigsaw’s previous traps. Needless to say, it's a sin he’ll be asked to atone for.
After just barely surviving Saw VI, Costas Mandylor’s Hoffman is closer than ever to being discovered by the police.
The movie also features the return of Doctor Lawrence Gordon, who fans hadn’t seen since he escaped the bathroom in the original movie six years earlier.
Saw: 3D is currently streaming on Fubo TV, Peacock Premium, Hulu, Starz, Tubi, and DirecTV.
8.) Jigsaw - October 27, 2017
While it might be hard to believe, Saw: The Final Chapter was not, in fact, the last installment in the series—though it did take seven years for Lionsgate to create a new one.
The story begins long after the first seven films, with Tobin Bell’s John Kramer long dead. However, a new Jigsaw trap victim is discovered by the police, leading the force to search for the supposed copycat killer.
It doesn’t take long for them to discover that a new game has been put into motion.
Nearly the entire cast is new to the series (such as Matt Passmore’s Logan and Hannah Emily Anderson’s Eleanor Bonneville), with Tobin Bell himself managing to appear in a handful of scenes.
While some will love the twist, other fans were too excited about its intense retcon, revealing that Jigsaw had yet another unknown accomplice all along.
Jigsaw is currently streaming on Prime Video, Fubo TV, and MGM+.
9.) Spiral: From the Book of Saw - May 14, 2021
Spiral: From the Book of Saw is the only entry in the entire franchise that doesn’t include a single appearance from Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw, not even his voice. Besides a Jigsaw namedrop once or twice, this new story is almost entirely disconnected from everything before.
The film sees Chris Rock’s Detective Zeke Banks investigating a series of Jigsaw copycat murders that seem to be targeting cops specifically. Also making their debut in the franchise are Samuel L. Jackson’s Marcus Banks and Max Minghella’s Detective William Schenk.
Spiral is currently streaming on Fubo TV, Hulu, and DirecTV.
10.) Saw X - September 29, 2023
The landmark tenth entry in the iconic horror series brought back Tobin Bell’s John Kramer into the spotlight for a story that takes place between Saw I and Saw II.
The plot sees John Kramer participating in a miracle medical procedure he was promised would help cure his cancer. As one might expect, it doesn’t, and he quickly realizes that all of the people supposedly helping him were con artists.
The final joke’s on them, however, as they’re all put into a deadly Jigsaw game for what they did not only to Kramer but countless dying others as well.
For the first time since Saw VI in 2009, Shawnee Smith’s Amanda Young makes a triumphant return for this film. She’s not just a cameo either; she plays a large role alongside Jigsaw as they both actively oversee the new game in Mexico.
Saw X is expected to hit streaming services on October 20, but a date has not been confirmed. It is still currently playing in theaters worldwide.
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