Is there anything more terrifying than a psycho with a cause? Jigsaw, the sadistic serial killer, self-appointed keeper of moral standards, and inventor of the most diabolical escape rooms known to man is back in Saw X, the next installment in the hugely successful Saw franchise. Who knows what specific type of hell will be inflicted on Jigsaw’s new victims, whose punishments are designed to fit their moral crimes?

The Saw franchise has established a history of escalating violence, devising clever torture traps more gruesome than the last, earning a top spot in the canon of torture movies. Directed by horror legend James Wan, the original 2004 Saw introduced the world to the Reverse Bear Trap, a clamp welded inside the victim’s mouth, clamping her jaws shut. If she fails to retrieve the key to the device (hidden inside the stomach of her still-alive cellmate), the clamp is designed to spring open, splitting her jaws apart. In the same movie, oncologist and adulterer Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) escapes from his shackles by sawing off his own foot in what's arguably one of the most iconically gruesome scenes in the franchise. Let's not get into the rest of the stomach-churning horrors that Jigsaw has designed over the years. Suffice it to say, each movie in the series has been an escalation in terror and grossness that's still proven captivating enough to draw in an audience.

We'll finally find out whether audiences have had enough or can’t get enough once Saw X comes out this fall. While Saw movies are known for overlapping timelines, Saw X’s timeline appears to be set between the original Saw and Saw II, with the exciting return of Tobin Bell as John Kramer/Jigsaw and possibly also a return to the more plausible, character-driven, grounded-but-clever storytelling that defined the first Saw movies. Read on for everything we know so far about the film.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on September 18.

When Is Saw X Coming Out?

Saw X is scheduled to hit theaters on September 29, 2023. This will have the film opening up against Gareth Edwards sci-fi epic The Creator and the animated kids' movie PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. The sequel was previously dated to release on October 27, 2023, but was likely pushed up in order to avoid competition with some of the other major horror titles in October, including The Exorcist: Believer and Five Nights at Freddy's.

Related:'Saw X' Image Introduces a New Victim for Jigsaw

Is There a Trailer for Saw X?

The official trailer for Saw X was released by Lionsgate on July 31, 2023. The trailer finds John Kramer traveling down to Mexico City to undergo a treatment that will cure him of his terminal illness, only to learn that he's been scammed. The second half of the trailer is set to The Hollies' "The Air That I Breathe," and shows some of the film's new traps as John exacts his revenge on the doctors who conned him. The trailer ends with the return of Shawnee Smith's fan-favorite character Amanda Young. This was followed by a promo spoofing Nicole Kidman's AMC ad and, more recently, a new sneak peek that previews one of Jigsaw's latest traps. See the latest video below and stay turned for more.

What Do We Know About the Saw X Plot?

Saw X will be set between the events of the first and second Saw movies. Lionsgate revealed the official synopsis for the movie in July 2023.

John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most disturbing installment of the Saw franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s most personal game. Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, the infamous serial killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged, and ingenious traps

Related: John Kramer Is as Menacing as Ever in New ‘Saw X’ Image

Who's In the Cast of Saw X?

Tobin Bell reprises his role as John Kramer aka the Jigsaw Killer in Saw X. The serial killer himself died in Saw III, appearing only in flashbacks in the succeeding films, sparking speculation that Saw X might be a prequel. A psycho who communicates with his victims via Billy the Puppet, a nightmarish ventriloquist’s dummy with hollow, beady eyes and red swirls on his cheeks, Kramer/Jigsaw wasn’t always a monster. He was once a respected civil engineer, property developer, husband, and future father. That is, until his wife miscarried, they get divorced, and he found out he is dying of cancer. A failed attempt at suicide makes him realize that he is lucky to be alive, a positive attitude he then imposes on other people by maniacally torturing them into appreciating life more. That's one hell of a life coach!

Shawnee Smith also reprises her role as Jigsaw’s victim-turned-protégé Amanda Young. A spiraling drug addict who first appears in the first Saw, she survives Jigsaw’s infamous Reverse Bear Trap, only to become Jigsaw’s apprentice in Saw II. In a sick twist, Amanda says that getting tortured helped her value her life, a realization that leads her back to her mentor/tormentor Jigsaw, whom she helps with making future traps. By Saw III, Amanda becomes so deranged that she makes her traps inescapable — a violation of Jigsaw’s rule, for which she finally pays with her own life. Unfortunately for fans wishing for the return of the original cast, Cary Elwes, who is unforgettable as Dr. Lawrence Gordon in Saw, will not appear in Saw X. However, Saw X is adding fresh faces (or fresh blood, depending on their roles) to the franchise. The almost all-new cast includes Renata Vaca (Midnight Family), Paulette Hernandez (Crown of Tears), Joshua Okamoto (Control-Z), Octavio Hinojosa (Come Play With Me), Synnøve Macody Lund (Ragnarok), Steven Brand (The Sandman), and Michael Beach (Dahmer).

Who's Making Saw X?

Saw franchise veteran Kevin Greutert returns to direct Saw X, after directing fan-favorite Saw VI in 2009 and Saw: The Final Chapter (also known as Saw 3D) in 2010. He also edited the first five Saw installments and Jigsaw, which he is also doing for the new movie. Greutert confirmed the end of filming in February 2023 with the following message, released via Twitter:

He also tweeted his thanks to Lionsgate for “trusting me with this blood-spitting beast of a story.” Josh Stolberg (Jigsaw) and Peter Goldfinger (Spiral) are penning the script. Mark Burg and Oren Koules serve as producers. Horror master and Saw creator James Wan remains attached as an executive producer, along with Ketura Kestin and Daniel J. Heffner. The cinematography for the film is by Nick Matthews. Saw X comes from Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures, with Lionsgate also handling distribution duties in the US.