So now, with the news that Saw X is going to be released later this year, we thought we would have a little fun and look at 10 interesting facts related to the franchise. Let’s begin.

The Short That Changed Everything

The series was actually born from a short film that James Wan and Leigh Whannell made in 2003. It wowed producers Mark Burg, Greg Hoffman and Oren Koules that they decided to ask Wan and Whannell to make a feature out of the concept. The rest is horror movie history.

One of the Highest-Grossing Horror Franchises

Before the release of the supposed final film in 2010 Guinness World Records dubbed the series to be the most successful horror franchise in history. With the then 6 films earning around $733 million at the box office. While it has since been surpassed by other horror franchises the series’ overall box office today sits at just over $1 billion. Considering the total budget of every film adds up to $95 million, that means the franchise has made more than 10 times its collective budget in profit. Not bad for a bunch of small splatter films.

There Will Be Blood

While many critics view the franchise as solely exploitative torture porn the franchise did do one very good thing. Every film in the series, except for Saw 3D and Spiral, had a tie-in advertising campaign encouraging people to give blood to the Red Cross. The Halloween Blood Drive was a huge success and even helped to challenge the prejudice around LGBTQIA+ donations.

Sue-Saw

Actor Cary Elwes who plays Doctor Gordon in the original Saw filed a lawsuit in 2005 against his management company and the film’s producers over claims that he had not received all the money he was promised for starring in the film (including 1% of the producer’s profits). The suit was later settled out of court and he returned to his beloved role for the then series’ finale.

Bell and Chainsaws

Tobin Bell was a prolific character actor before the Saw series. However, according to IMDb the first industry award he was ever given was the 2006 Fangoria Chainsaw Best Villain award which he won for Saw II. Later he won the 2009 Eyegore Award for Best Villain in a Film Series and was inducted into Fangoria’s Hall of Fame in 2010. Cementing Jigsaw as the role Tobin will be best remembered for.

Leave Them Wanting Saw

Saw III currently has the longest runtime in the franchise at 108 minutes.

A Scream Queen

One of the better-regarded films in the franchise, Saw VI, has a number of memorable scenes. These include the opening trap where two predatory loaners must cut off parts of their own bodies to determine who survives. Simone, the survivor of the test, was played by Tanedra Howard, who won the role after competing in the game show Scream Queens.

Series Kill Count

According to the YouTube series Dead Meat the Franchise collectively has a body count of 104 people (including Detective Hoffman). Saw 3D had the highest number of victims at 27. While Saw and Saw V have the joint lowest with only 6 victims. 

Spiralling Out

Spiral is so far the only Saw film where Tobin Bell does not physically appear as Jigsaw. Though his photo does appear.

Unexpected Guiding Hand

Aside from James Wan another director has been credited on every entry in this series. Kevin Greutert directed Saw VI, Saw 3D and will direct Saw X. He also edited Saws 1-5 and Jigsaw and was an executive producer on Spiral. As an integral part of the series, it’s a shame he isn’t spoken of as highly as other key creatives.

Those are just some of the many intriguing facts about the series. With Saw X coming soon we will surely have even more bloody anecdotes to digest for years to come. Game over.

Also Read: The Terrifier 2, Cocaine Bear & Winne the Pooh Highlight A Changing Horror Landscape

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1. Kevin McCallister is Jigsaw

This theory makes sense the more you think about it. Kevin was of course good at making improvised traps, thus with enough preparation, he could easily make the kind of torture devices seen in the Saw movies. Additionally, being separated from your parents twice and having to fend off dangerous robbers would severely impact your mental health. And he is a master manipulator so who’s to say he didn’t become John Kramer after Home Alone 2? I want to play a game ya filthy animals.

2. Pennywise and Mary Poppins Are The Same Creature

According to theorists, there are many explanations for why Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way. These range from her actually being a time lord like the Doctor (her handbag being her Tardis) to Mary being a similar creature to Pennywise from It. Except she feeds on happiness instead of fear. Although that implies that she only left the Banks family because she was full from feasting on their energy. You’d need more than a spoonful of sugar to make that medicine go down.

3. Every Scott Bakula Role is actually Sam from Quantum Leap

Rarely has it been theorised that every role an actor plays, across TV and film, is actually a single character. Though, the fact that Quantum Leap was built around Scott Bakula’s Doctor Sam Beckett jumping into different bodies across time and space, all of which are seen by us as Bakula himself, it becomes incredibly easy to buy that theory. Let’s hope he eventually gets home.

4. Holly Martins and Harry Lime were Lovers

Apparently, this theory had some legitimate pull behind the scenes of The Third Man. Producer David O Selznick supposedly said that the only reason why Holly would care so much about Harry after not having seen him for a decade was because they were once lovers. And while said in a very homophobic context this nugget of info, plus the chemistry between Joseph Cotton (who played Holly Martins) and Orson Welles (who played Harry Lime), and Harry seeming to care more for Holly than his “girlfriend” Anna makes this theory seem quite plausible.

5. The Matrix and Terminators

Another franchise crossover theory. And while the Matrix series does not include time travel, and the expansion of the theory which says John Conner and Neo are the same person may stretch credibility, both franchises are about machines battling humanity to near extinction. So, seeing the Sentinals commanding T-800s during the human/machine war wouldn’t be unexpected.

6. Cobb Was Not Exiled From The US

It’s hard to deny the appeal of this popular Reddit theory. Inception already has many fan theories, but this perspective makes the film’s plot a metaphor for Cobb overcoming his emotional issues to be with his family again. This theory also brings Cobb and Mal closer thematically. Showing that fiction can be preferable to reality (Mal) But that it can also help people (Cobb). It’s a theory that works on many levels and deserves to be cannon.

7. Han Solo Triggered Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber

Han Solo’s death already hurt but this theory adds something else to proceedings. Stating that Han knew the only way his son Ben could eventually come back to the light was if he was no longer there. And that Han triggered the lightsaber to start Ben on that path. The surprise on Han’s face indicates this was not the scene’s intention. But that can also be blamed on the pain inflicted by Kylo’s lightsaber. Nevertheless, if you subscribe to this theory it adds an extra tragic layer to Kylo’s arc.

This concludes our foray into the land of film theories. Let us know your favourite movie theories and if any of these have caused you to view certain films differently.

Also Read: Seven Creative Movies Dealing With Memory Loss

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Horror cinema has many iconic villains and today we’ll be counting down 10 of the greatest merchants of menace. I will choose a single villain from each decade, look at a bit of the villain’s background and how they managed to traumatize audiences who watched their films. So, let’s get spooky.

1920s: Count Orlok – Nosferatu (1922)

Originally made as a Dracula stand-in, Count Orlok has become a great villain in his own right. With actor Max Schreck’s towering frame, creeping shadow, sharp teeth, and keen unblinking eyes Orlok has become an instantly recognizable cinematic predator that has lasted almost a century. Not even Stoker’s estate could prevent him from becoming a cinematic nightmare.

1930s: Frankenstein’s Monster – Frankenstein (1931)

The archetypal mad scientist creation. The monster isn’t necessarily evil but because of continual abuse and a lack of moral guidance, he begins violently lashing out at the world. Frankenstein’s Monster has a legendary look courtesy of makeup artist Jack Pierce. And thanks to Boris Karloff’s animalistic performance, which makes the character threatening and sympathetic, Frankenstein’s Monster has been cemented as one of horror’s most tragic monsters.

1940s: The Wolf Man – The Wolf Man (1941)

Like Frankenstein’s Monster, the Wolf Man garners great sympathy because of host Larry Talbot’s (Lon Chaney Jr’s) inability to control the monster within him. But unlike Frankenstein the Wolf Man is vicious. Murdering innocent people and leaving Larry to deal with the consequences. With Jack Pierce’s brilliant makeup making the monster the midpoint between man and beast, the Wolf Man is an iconic example of the darkness in all men.

1950s: Godzilla – Godzilla Series

Cinema’s biggest monster. Starring in 35 films since 1954 Godzilla is a Japanese icon. He’s a prehistoric monster awakened by hydrogen bomb testing and was created as a symbol for the destructive powers of the atomic age, though lately, he has become a metaphor for nature striking back at humanity. He’s the embodiment of destruction and for 66 years he’s shown that for all our advances annihilation is never far away.

1960s: Norman Bates – Psycho (1960)

The grandfather of all slasher villains. While seemingly normal, Norman hides another personality that forces him to kill anyone who threatens the illusion that his mother is still alive. Thanks to Anthony Perkins’ understated performance and Alfred Hitchcock’s direction Norman Bates (based on murderer Ed Gein) terrified audiences by showing that even the quiet good-looking boy next door could turn out to be a murderer.

1970s: The Caller – Black Christmas (1974)

Black Christmas‘ sorority house killer remains perhaps horror’s most terrifying villain. Because nothing about him is explained. His victims are random. The only insights we get into him are his disjointed, threatening ramblings. And his appearance, voice; name remain a mystery. Inspired by the urban legend of “the babysitter and the man upstairs” the Caller embodies the fear that you’re never safe. Even in your own home.

1980s: Freddy Krueger – The Nightmare on Elm Street Series

The burnt, razor glove wielding, Christmas sweater and fedora sporting dream killer has been scaring viewers since his 1984 debut. Inspired by stories about young people suddenly dying in their sleep and brought to life in skin-crawling fashion by Robert Englund, Krueger takes sadistic pleasure in twisting his victim’s dreams into nightmares. And the sheer glee he takes in his cruelty is what makes him cinema’s most iconic bogeyman.

1990s: Candyman – Candyman Series

Originally, Daniel Robitaille, Candyman became a vengeful spirit after he was killed over a 19th-century interracial love affair. His hand was mutilated, his body smothered in honey and he was stung to death by bees. Now he kills anyone who dares say his name five times in a mirror. With his imposing figure, hooked hand and Tony Todd’s intimidating voice, Candyman is a true terror titan.

2000s: Jigsaw – Saw Series

Jigsaw is the horror villain of the 2000s. Embodying post 9/11 anxieties about the morality of torture Jigsaw, aka John Cramer managed to carve out a gruesome legacy for himself. His use of ironic traps to reform/eradicate those who he believes don’t appreciate life, Tobin Bell’s commanding voice and his animatronic mascot made him the face of torture horror. And his legacy has continued through multiple accomplices and successors.

2010s: It/Pennywise – It (2017)

Stephen King’s iconic horror creation made a huge impact with Its 2017 reimagining. The creature that haunts Derry, Maine can change into many forms that will give anyone nightmares. His most recognizable form is Pennywise The Dancing Clown (Bill Skarsgard) whose smile hides a desire to devour children. It exploits our fear of the unknown and attacks the sanctity of childhood innocence all at once. Making It the perfect modern horror villain.

So ends my list of horrors 10 best villains. Which horror villains did I miss? Let me know in the comments.

Also Read: 7 Reasons Characters Die In Horror Films

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