For years, horror fans have been captivated by the series known as Saw. From its bloody and over-the-top gore to inventive jump scares that's always raised with each movie, the Saw franchise has stretched on into eight films, with the ninth movie, Spiral: From The Book Of Saw, coming next month.
Set years after Jigsaw, also known as John Kramer's, death, Spiral follows a detective pursuing a new spree of deaths. Given the name, it's highly likely that the movie will dive deep into the world of the horror franchise. The question on fans' minds now, is in what ways will the series connect?
Timeline
In a world like that of Saw, the time at which the series of events takes place is important. Saw always had a way of messing around with time in their movies, like in the impressive sequel Saw II and Jigsaw, where the games happened in the past. As such, it begs the question as to where Spiral will be set.
While it takes place sometime after the last Saw movie, it's likely that there may be some callbacks to previous games run by Jigsaw or someone else, the killer. Either way, the timeline of the upcoming spinoff could end up getting more than a little twisted.
Locations
It may sound odd to say that the location of a movie could be important later on. Yet, with something like Saw, there are plenty of iconic scenes and locations that have popped up over the course of the franchise. Locations that could be used once again.
From the classic bathroom that started it all to the operating room where John Kramer died to the hospital where he was diagnosed, the possibilities for iconic locations and places that could serve as tie-in's to the rest of the series could serve as a way to connect it all.
Law Enforcement
"Hello, detective. I want to play a game". Every horror fan recalls those words spoken by Tobin Bell all those years ago. As such, it's likely that those words could be used in a large greater capacity. Spiral appears to be working against the police of a city, connected to its dark past.
Therefore, there's always the chance the dark past could be more than just the Jigsaw killings. Perhaps there's a connection to the deaths and lives of David Tapp, Mark Hoffman, or Eric Matthews, something that ties everything together in one strange twisted circle.
Old Cases
The cases collected over the years and the events that have played out over the soon-to-be ten movies may be brought back into focus for Spiral, serving as a way to connect everything together.
Perhaps via the overly brutal deaths that the characters endure that end up being copied from the old cases or through some other convoluted manner, the old cases always have the chance to resurface and pop up in the world of Saw.
Survivors
While just about every character in Saw has faced some incredibly bloody demise at the hands of the serial killer, there have been a few survivors who come out. However, while they live, they don't always come out unscathed.
The survivors of the Jigsaw killings could return in two forms: either as the killer who has changed thanks to Jigsaw's "methods" or survivors looking to console those who are going through the same trauma. Either way, it'd be an interesting connection between the series for certain.
The Traps
One thing fans have taken away from those bloody movies is the idea and usage of the traps Kramer created over the years. Beyond the characters the series has created, the traps have become just as iconic and can make a comeback in some form in the upcoming movie.
The reverse bear trap, the pit of needles, the shotgun necklace, and even a simple handcuff and hacksaw could be utilized to provide a deeper link into the universe. Whether they be kept the same or changed due to the new killer, these old traps have a deep connection to the series that could resurface.
Motivation
Not all horror movie villains lash out or commit bloody murder because they feel like it. Sometimes, the killer's motivations run deep and dark. John Kramer was a man who was in his eyes wronged by the world, and was only trying to show people their sins.
As such, whoever the killer of Spiral ends up being, they could have a similar personal motivation. Trying to showcase people's true dark side, they could be taking a page from Kramer's book and utilizing Jigsaw's legacy and teachings to the best of their abilities.
Recordings And Tapes
"Play me." The words set on the tapes that all the Jigsaw victims have been given to see why their being "punished". As inconsequential as it may sound, the usage of the tapes and recordings could have a larger tie-in than fans are willing to admit.
In the Spiral trailer, Detective Banks is given a flash drive with the same words "Play Me". It may sound silly but the usage of those words and the new almost high-tech videotapes could give way to a deeper meaning, perhaps even an appearance from a long since dead or forgotten character.
Dr. Gordon
Speaking of long-forgotten characters, like with the survivors, there's another character who could serve as a tie-in: Dr. Gordon. Originally a victim of Jigsaws in the first film, Gordon cut his own foot off and in the aftermath, was rescued by Kramer and made one of his apprentices who would take on the mantle of Jigsaw.
Last seen in Saw 3D, Gordon has since vanished from the Saw franchise, replaced by a new apprentice, Logan in Jigsaw. Yet, perhaps linking things back to the beginning and bringing back Gordon after more than ten years of being in the shadows would tie into the series and give Gordon the justice he deserves.
John Kramer
Death for many iconic horror villains is only the beginning. Since the third movie, John Kramer, the infamous Jigsaw Killer, has been dead. Yet, death never seems to stop Kramer. While the amazing Tobin Bell hasn't been confirmed to return to the movie, there's always some way for Jigsaw to find his way back into the franchise, and even though Spiral hasn't alluded to it, there's always the possibility.
Whether it be via a final message to the world, his doll, Billy, or a flashback of some kind via his iconic voice, John Kramer could always make a comeback in some form, returning to series "one last time", like so many horror villains before him.