Tobin Bell is officially coming back to the world of Saw, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming that the actor is set to return as John Kramer in the next installment of the Saw franchise.
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The news — which had been rumored earlier this year and then teased by writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger — sees Bell return to a series that rocketed him into stardom. The series itself is also quite popular in part due to his performance as Jigsaw. This new film is reported to be in production, with a release date tentatively set for October 27, 2023.
Kevin Greutert is directing this next film, with The Hollywood Reporter noting that the team behind the movie is hoping to keep fans guessing once again thanks to new trap designs and an entirely new mystery to solve.
“What a thrill to be reuniting with Tobin,” said Saw franchise producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules. “His performance as John Kramer is part of the magic that made this franchise a phenomenon and his character is an active part of this film.”
Throughout the series, Bell has played John Kramer, also known as The Jigsaw Killer or Jigsaw, and has appeared in some capacity in every single Saw film except Spiral. The character’s backstory saw Kramer find a new appreciation for life following a suicide attempt and saw him dedicating his life to “inspiring” others by trapping them in sadistic games that sees them go to the extreme in order to survive.
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The latest Saw film, Spiral, was written by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger, and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who previously helmed Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV. The film was generally considered to be a failure, with the project receiving mixed reviews and only making about $40 million at the box office.