The Saw Franchise: An Intricate Horror Timeline Unraveled
The Saw series, originating as a low-budget horror film, has evolved into a complex narrative web that requires careful untangling to fully appreciate. Despite its popularity, the franchise garnered some criticism as it progressed, with viewers finding it increasingly necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of all the films—preferably from recent viewings—to keep up with the intricate storyline. This challenge is debatable, but it’s undeniable that Saw made considerable efforts to interconnect its narrative threads, a feat not always attempted by other horror franchises.
The Central Narrative: Jigsaw’s Legacy
For the first eight installments, the series consistently revolved around John “Jigsaw” Kramer, building a coherent, albeit convoluted, storyline. The ninth film, Spiral, deviates by introducing a new copycat killer operating years after Kramer’s reign. However, 2023’s Saw X surprises audiences by resurrecting Jigsaw, despite his death in Saw III. This narrative choice necessitated the use of numerous flashbacks in subsequent films, which can bewilder even the most attentive viewers.
Before Saw (2004): The Origins of Jigsaw
Jigsaw’s Origins Date Back To 1994
The events in the Saw films frequently harken back to incidents preceding the original 2004 movie. Before becoming the notorious Jigsaw, John was a successful civil engineer, and his wife Jill managed the Homeward Bound Clinic. Their lives took a tragic turn when an addict, Cecil Adams, robbed the clinic in 1994, causing Jill to miscarry their child. This incident plunged John into a deep depression. He was later diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, a result of a misdiagnosis by his future apprentice, Logan Nelson, and a denial of coverage by insurance executive William Easton. Amanda Young, another clinic patient who had unwittingly aided Cecil, was abducted by John and forced to undergo a test involving the reverse bear trap. She survived, gained a newfound appreciation for life, and joined John’s grim mission.
The movie Jigsaw also delves into events occurring before Saw X and Saw, although its main timeline is set years after John’s death. During this pre-Saw period, Detective Mark Hoffman attempts to frame Jigsaw for his sister’s killer’s murder, leading John to blackmail Hoffman into becoming an apprentice. Detective David Tapp, drawn into the Jigsaw investigation, becomes obsessed with capturing him after his partner is killed by a booby trap. To distract Tapp, Hoffman and John frame Dr. Lawrence Gordon for the crimes.
Saw (2004): The Beginning of the Horror Saga
The First Movie Takes Place In 2001
- Horror
- Mystery
- Crime
Saw is a horror film directed by James Wan. The story follows two men who awaken in a dilapidated bathroom, chained at opposite ends, and discover they are pawns in a deadly game orchestrated by a serial killer known as Jigsaw. As they struggle to survive, they learn the harsh consequences of their past actions. The film features complex puzzles and a dark atmosphere, contributing to its critical and commercial success.
The 2004 film Saw depicts John Kramer’s first major game in 2001, nearly a decade after the incident that set him on the path to becoming Jigsaw. Dr. Lawrence Gordon and photographer Adam Stanheight are abducted by John and Amanda and confined in a filthy bathroom. Detective Tapp, who had previously hired Adam to surveil Gordon, is closing in on Jigsaw. Zep Hindle, an orderly from the hospital where John was treated, is also entangled in the plot. Jigsaw demands Gordon kill Adam to save his kidnapped family. Gordon fails, but Tapp intervenes, saving them. Tapp pursues Zep but is shot, and Zep is killed by Adam. The twist is revealed when John discloses he was the “dead body” in the room all along, leaving Gordon and Adam to their fates.
The timeline for the first Saw movie is primarily established by the date on a cellphone: 09/10/01. Some fans argue that John might not have updated the phone’s date, suggesting the film is set in 2004. After the movie’s events, flashbacks reveal John returning to nurse Dr. Gordon back to health, who then becomes another apprentice, unbeknownst to Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman. Amanda, without John’s knowledge, kills Adam, marking her initial step toward becoming a full-fledged serial killer in John’s eyes.
All 9 Saw Movies Ranked By Kill Count
During this period, several future Saw characters experience pivotal moments. Detective Eric Matthews faces internal affairs scrutiny for suspect abuse and becomes Jigsaw’s next major test subject due to his deceitful practices under oath, leading to wrongful incarcerations. Bobby Dagen, central to Saw 7, begins fabricating survival stories about Jigsaw. Concurrently, William Easton denies life-saving care to Harold Abbott, whose family ultimately decides to end his life, setting the stage for Saw 6.
Saw X (2023): A Return to Origins
Takes Place Shortly Before The Events Of Saw (With Some Overlap)
- Crime
- Horror
- Thriller
Saw X is the tenth film in the long-running Saw franchise, with the original Jigsaw, played by Tobin Bell, returning in the lead role. The film takes place in between the first two Saw movies and sees John Kramer traveling to Mexico to take part in an experimental medical procedure to help cure his cancer. When the "doctors" end up being con artists, Kramer turns to his lethal traps to teach them a lesson.
The latest installment, 2023’s Saw X, revives the essence of the series. Unlike Jigsaw and Spiral, which minimally featured John Kramer or omitted him entirely, Saw X places him back at the forefront. As a prequel set between 2004’s Saw and 2005’s Saw 2, it chronicles one of John’s early games, where he targets fraudulent doctors at a medical center in Mexico.
Every Saw Movie Ranked, Worst To Best (Including Saw X)
In its concluding moments, Saw X depicts John setting up the trap for Dr. Gordon and Adam Stanheight, assisted by Hoffman. Amanda plays a significant role, marking her initial involvement in John’s tests and traps. This installment occurs shortly before Saw, placing it around 2001 in the timeline.
Saw 2 (2005): The Continuation of the Terror
The Second Saw Movie Takes Place In 2002
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Saw II is the follow-up to James Wan and Leigh Whannell's 2004 body horror film, Saw. In the sequel, a group of ex-convicts are kidnapped by Jigsaw and must work together to find an antidote to a toxin that is scheduled to kill them all in two hours. Darren Lynn Bousman took over directing duties for Saw II after Wan directed the original.
While specific dates are absent, it’s generally accepted that Saw II is set approximately a year after Saw, in 2002. John orchestrates another elaborate test, this time involving Eric Matthews, who must witness his son and others he wrongfully imprisoned face their own trials in a deserted house. The footage is revealed to be pre-recorded, with Eric’s son hidden in a safe in the same room. After a violent confrontation, Eric is trapped in the original Saw bathroom by Amanda, who posed as a victim during the game.
Between Saw 2 and Saw 3 and 4, John’s health markedly declines. Flashbacks reveal key events occurring in the six months between Saw 2, Saw 3, and Saw 4. Eric escapes the bathroom but suffers severe injuries in a fight with Amanda, who leaves him for dead. Hoffman later rescues Eric, keeping him captive while feigning an investigation into Jigsaw and Jill Tuck. During this period, Dr. Gordon and John select brain surgeon Dr. Lynn Denlon for another game involving her husband Jeff, whose son was killed by a drunk driver. John also coerces his unscrupulous ex-lawyer Art Blank into service, while Amanda designs inescapable traps, defying John’s twisted principles.
Saw 3 (2006) & Saw 4 (2007): Simultaneous Horrors
Both Take Place In Late 2002, Six Months After Saw 2
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Saw III is the third film in the horror mystery-thiller franchise directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. Set after the events of the second film, Saw III follows John Kramer continuing to place victims in deadly traps to test them. The film also bounces back and forth between detectives attempting to find the Jigsaw killer while following a man named Jeff who must solve a series of games and forgive those who wronged him to survive.
The events of Saw 3 and Saw 4 are intertwined, necessitating their joint exploration. Although no definitive year is provided, both films occur six months after Saw 2, placing them in late 2002 within the Saw timeline. As John nears death, he remains resolute in his mission despite Jill’s pleas to abandon it. The timeline presents a plot hole concerning John’s death; while Saw 3 and Saw 4 should take place in 2002, a mortician’s tag lists his death in 2006.
Tensions escalate among John’s apprentices, with Hoffman and Amanda clashing. Hoffman plots against Amanda, leveraging his knowledge of her involvement in John’s son’s death.
Every Saw Trap In All Movies Ranked
While Lynn and Jeff Denlon undergo testing, officer Daniel Rigg endures his own trials, orchestrated by Hoffman and involving Eric Matthews. Rigg is framed for the Jigsaw murders. Lynn and Jeff ultimately perish, the latter killed by FBI Agent Peter Strahm following a misunderstanding after Jeff causes Jigsaw’s death. Amanda, Eric, and Rigg also die, leaving Hoffman as Jigsaw’s successor.
Saw 5 (2008): The Aftermath
The Next Saw Movie Takes Place In 2003
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Saw V is the fifth film in the long-running horror mystery-thriller franchise. It was directed by David Hackl and released in 2008. Continuing to follow the trail of carnage left by the deceased Jigsaw Killer and his apprentices, FBI Agent Peter Strahm is caught and survives a trap meant to leave him for dead. However, Strahm begins to close in on the potential killer from within - and colleague Detective Mark Hoffman is the prime suspect.
Saw V picks up shortly after the events of Saw III and Saw IV, likely placing it in 2003 within the timeline. Agent Strahm, attacked and trapped by Hoffman, narrowly escapes a Water Cube trap. Hoffman “rescues” Jeff and Lynn’s daughter Corbett, becoming a media hero, but Strahm remains suspicious. John’s posthumous tape warns Hoffman of future challenges.
The focus in Saw 5 shifts from the central test to Hoffman’s efforts to outsmart Strahm and his partner, Agent Perez, who feigns death to catch Hoffman off guard. Strahm tracks down Hoffman, but ultimately falls victim to a test and is crushed to death.
Saw 6 (2009): Corporate Reckoning
The Sixth Saw Movie Is Also Set In 2003
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Released in late 2009, Saw 6 is the sixth mainline installment in the Saw franchise. Like its predecessors, the movie sees unwilling victims participating in a series of deadly games inspired by the infamous Jigsaw Killer. With Jigsaw's protege, Mark Hoffman, still at large but not yet discovered, the FBI begins to uncover the truth behind the most recent murders.
Saw VI follows closely on the heels of Saw V, suggesting both films occur in 2003. The narrative centers on William Easton, who confronts his company’s unethical practices of prioritizing profit over human life. Meanwhile, Hoffman attempts to frame Strahm for the Jigsaw murders, using his severed hand.
Perez and her FBI superior Erickson catch Hoffman in the act, but he kills them and destroys evidence. Unbeknownst to him, John instructed Jill to test Hoffman with the reverse bear trap, also enlisting Dr. Gordon should anything happen to her. Hoffman survives to continue the saga.
Saw 7 (2010): The Final Chapter?
The Movie Also Known As Saw 3D Takes Place In 2004
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Saw 3D is a 3D-directed horror film that is the sequel to Saw VI, which follows a man who has gained popularity as he supposedly survived one of Jigsaw's traps but is captured and put into an actual game where he must play along to save his wife. With the "games" becoming more gruesome and public, Internal Affairs begins to investigate a former survivor and detective, Mark Hoffman, as the potential new culprit.
With minimal time elapsed between Saw VII (Saw 3D) and Saw VI, the seventh film likely unfolds in early 2004 or late 2003. After tending to his injuries, Hoffman targets Jill, who seeks protection from internal affairs officer Mark Gibson. Unfortunately, police protection proves insufficient.
The central plot involves self-help guru Bobby Dagen, who is tested for fabricating survival stories about Jigsaw. Hoffman orchestrates a police massacre, using Dagen’s game to distract Gibson, before killing Jill with the reverse bear trap. However, Hoffman is ultimately captured by Gordon and left to die in the original Saw bathroom.
Jigsaw (2017): A Chronological Conundrum
Set In 2010 (Although This Is A Point Of Contention In The Fanbase)
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
Jigsaw is the eighth film in the long-running body horror franchise Saw. A new batch of victims, each responsible for the deaths of others, are brought into a series of deadly traps designed to test their will to live. Despite the original Jigsaw having been deceased for over a decade, new murders begin to occur that replicate the style and purpose of his original deadly games, leading the FBI on a chase to locate the new copycat killer.
2017’s Jigsaw, the eighth film, presents a complex timeline that complicates the franchise’s chronology. Occurring eight years after John’s death, it introduces another Jigsaw accomplice. The central game, orchestrated by Logan Nelson, actually predates the first Saw movie.
The “present day” timeline is ostensibly set in 2010, assuming the phone-date timeline from 2004’s Saw is accurate. If one accepts John’s death in 2006, per the mortician’s tag, the film occurs around 2014. Regardless, in the present events, Logan frames Detective Hallorann for new killings, avenging his wife’s murder by a killer Hallorann released. Logan’s fate remains unresolved in the series.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021): A New Chapter
Set An Unspecified Length Of Time After John Kramer’s Death
- Horror
- Mystery
- Thriller
The ninth installment and spin-off of the Saw franchise, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, stars Chris Rock as Detective Zeke Banks, a police officer investigating what he believes to be a Jigsaw copycat killer. As the case unravels, Banks realizes that the truth might be closer to home than he would have thought as the legacy of corruption in his embattled police department begins to face a reckoning.
Spiral unfolds in the same universe but at an ambiguous time after Jigsaw. While the new killer, William Schenk, adopts some of John’s methods, there’s little direct connection to previous Saw narratives. Years before Spiral, protagonist Detective Zeke Banks witnessed his partner, Peter Dunleavy, murder a witness, leading to his social ostracization. Dunleavy’s victim was William’s father, prompting William to assume Jigsaw’s mantle to cleanse the corrupt police department. He aims to recruit Zeke after a test, but Zeke declines, resulting in his father’s death.
Anticipating Saw XI
The Latest Sequel Is Expected In 2025
While Saw X is the most recent addition, it’s not the franchise’s conclusion. Saw XI is confirmed and in development, though its narrative position within the Saw timeline remains undisclosed. Given Saw X‘s success as a prequel, it’s plausible that Saw XI will follow suit. Tobin Bell’s portrayal of John Kramer is a major draw, and films lacking his presence have historically underperformed.
If a prequel, Saw XI might occur after 2004’s Saw, given Saw X‘s final scene depicting the initial Jigsaw test setup. This approach would also allow for further exploration of Logan Nelson’s role, offering a deeper understanding of his place in the Saw universe.
Exploring Potential Saw Spinoffs
The success of Saw X in 2023 ensures the franchise’s continuation, with promising spinoffs on the horizon. Mark Hoffman’s post-credit return in Saw X suggests future franchise plans, potentially focusing on Hoffman (via Dexterto). Additionally, producers hinted at keeping one Saw X character alive—Cecilia—as a potential adversary (via Slashfilm).
If this direction materializes, it raises timeline questions. Hoffman’s and Cecilia’s fates were left ambiguous as both were trapped in the infamous Saw basement, implying a prequel might be necessary. However, given Hoffman’s backstory is well-documented through flashbacks, a prequel might seem redundant. Instead, it could reveal both escaped their fates, setting events at the timeline’s end. With John Kramer and Amanda deceased, Cecilia might seek vengeance against the Jigsaw successor.
Saw
The Saw film franchise is an anthology of horror films centered around the Jigsaw Killer, a mastermind who crafts elaborate traps to test his victims' will to live. Victims, often morally flawed, are forced into gruesome games where they must inflict severe pain on themselves or others to survive.
