The Saw franchise is one of the highest-grossing horror series of all time, as viewers connected with the terrifying games of cat-and-mouse enacted by the Jigsaw killer and his copycats. With ten installments over the past 20 years, despite feeling formulaic at points, audiences have returned again and again to see how unlucky victims can prove their will to live.
Initially created by director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, Saw has had an impressive run that’s expanded into spin-offs, TV, video games, and even toys. With a dark, depraved premise, endless gore, and increasingly complex games, this surprise sleeper hit became a box-office juggernaut.
Spiral (2021)
Box Office: $23,216,862
The lowest-grossing installment in the Saw franchise was Spiral: From the Book of Saw, a spin-off release that followed police investigating a Jigsaw copycat killer. Despite a star-studded cast including Chris Rock, Max Minghella, and Samuel L. Jackson, the film didn’t strike a chord with audiences and grossed a paltry $40,618,920 against its approximately $20 million budget.
While Spiral should be commended for exploring new themes and attempting to take the franchise in a different direction, it was clear that the well-worn tropes of the series had served it well, and viewers were keen for more of the same. Unfortunately, despite taking some risks, Spiral just didn’t work.
Saw VI (2009)
Box Office: $68,234,154
The Saw series made a big mistake by killing off its main antagonist, John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, far too early, leaving the franchise increasingly convoluted as its ties to the main villain grew flimsy. By following Jigsaw’s successor, Detective Lieutenant Mark Hoffman, Saw VI was overly concerned with expanding upon a backstory that viewers were not that interested in.
This is evident in the box office returns, as Saw VI ranks as the second-lowest-grossing movie in the franchise. With worldwide takings of $68,234,154, the film also had the franchise’s lowest opening weekend, with just $14.1 million, as it was forced to compete with the mega-horror hit Paranormal Activity.
Jigsaw (2017)
Box Office: $102,952,888
Although John Kramer died in Saw III, he remained such an integral part of the series that he was included as a major character in the franchise’s eighth installment, appropriately titled Jigsaw. With Tobin Bell returning to reprise this infamous role, the film cleverly uses flashbacks as a framing device to tell a new story exploring a modern-day investigation.
With a budget of $10 million, the over $100 million takings of Jigsaw are nothing to scoff at, but the harsh truth was that the film represented a low point in the series. Jigsaw also received poor reviews from critics who felt the game had run its course and that it was time to put Saw out of its misery.
Saw (2004)
Box Office: $103,096,345
Taking things back to where it all began, the original Saw movie was a revelation in the horror movie sphere as James Wan announced himself as a brave new voice in scary cinema with his directorial debut. Made on a budget of just over $1 million and eventually grossing over $100 million, Saw was a success story like few films ever achieve.
With a compelling villain, a unique premise, and incredible franchise potential, Saw ticked all the right boxes and was destined to become a major horror series. While some might bemoan its longevity, there’s no denying the frightening appeal of the original Saw.
Saw X (2023)
Box Office: $112,820,254
The most recent installment in the series proved that Saw could still crack $100 million at the worldwide box office. With positive reviews, many labeled Saw X as the best entry since the first movie, as it toned down the torture porn while delivering a genuinely compelling narrative.
Saw X took in $112,820,254, which meant that Saw XI was quickly greenlit and slated for a 2024 release. However, this date was pushed back, and following Blumhouse Productions’ purchase of Twisted Pictures’ stake in the franchise and creative disagreements, the project has stalled.
Saw V (2008)
Box Office: $113,864,059
Saw V saw Detective Mark Hoffman initially set up as a hero, before the shocking twist that reveals he’s in fact continuing the legacy of Jigsaw’s games. With a clever plot and memorable setpieces, things may have been a little bit derivative, but it more than made up for this with some genuinely frightening kills and some deliciously off-putting gore.
The franchise also remained a reliable box-office draw, taking in over $113 million as audiences continued to be drawn to its horrific cat-and-mouse games. Overall, Saw V was a solid addition to the series lore, continuing to breathe life into the franchise after the death of John Kramer.
Saw 3D (2010)
Box Office: $136,150,434
Saw 3D was also released as Saw: The Final Chapter, as it was clear the franchise’s diminishing box-office returns meant it had run its course. Following an author named Bobby Dagen, who falsely claims to have been a survivor of one of Jigsaw’s games, things take a dark turn when he finds himself genuinely at the center of the real thing.
With box-office grosses of over $136 million, it was clear that Saw remained incredibly profitable despite overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics. This meant that, although it had been marketed as the end, audiences would continue experiencing the torturous games of Jigsaw and his copycats for years to come.
Saw IV (2007)
Box Office: $139,352,633
As the first Saw film not written by Leigh Whannell or James Wan, it was clear that the series was losing its way with the release of Saw IV. This is where the cracks really began to show, as things became increasingly convoluted following the death of John Kramer, who left behind a series of clues as his final game.
However, despite logical issues that made the franchise’s continued existence increasingly bizarre, audiences still turned out for Saw IV, which grossed nearly $140 million worldwide. While things were becoming more disturbing, gory, and depraved, by the time Saw IV was released, it was clear the franchise had run out of things to say.
Saw II (2005)
Box Office: $147,748,505
While the original film introduced the world to the terrifying sociopathic killer Jigsaw, it was Saw II that proved the franchise’s potential as a major horror series. With Jigsaw back up to his old tricks, this time the game saw victims trapped inside a house as they progressed through yet another series of deadly games.
Jigsaw’s victims were trying to gain access to the antidote for a fast-acting nerve agent, which added a sense of immediacy and high stakes to the terror. With a total box office gross of over $147 million, it was clear that Saw was a money-making machine, and viewers could look forward to installments for years to come.
Saw III (2006)
Box Office: $164,874,275
Saw III was the final entry before it was irreversibly changed following John Kramer’s death in the movie’s climax. While this would cause problems for filmmakers in future installments, it also upped the stakes in a way that long-running horror series seldom do, as, unlike Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees, Kramer did remain dead and only reappeared through flashbacks.
While Kramer was forced to call it a day, this certainly wasn’t the case with the Saw series, as Saw III grossed an impressive $164,874,275 at the global box office, assuring another installment was quickly greenlit. With more horrific games and enhanced gore, screenwriters Leigh Whannell and James Wan had hit on a profitable formula.
Sources: Worldwide box office figures from Box Office Mojo