The Saw franchise began with a simple premise and has grown into one of the most intricate and convoluted horror series. James Wan’s 2004 film introduced audiences to a grim scenario where two men find themselves trapped in a dingy bathroom, chained to pipes, and forced to confront a horrifying puppet.
The puppet, with Tobin Bell’s eerie voice, commands, “I want to play a game.” Over nearly two decades and nine sequels, the Saw series expanded into a complex maze of stories, twists, and retcons that transformed the original concept into a convoluted narrative.
To help you go through this complex web of horror, here’s a guide on how to watch the Saw films in the simplest way possible, followed by a breakdown of the chronological order if you wish to understand how the story unfolds in sequence.
Watching the Saw Movies in Release Order
For newcomers or those who haven’t caught up with the series, starting with the release order is the easiest way to avoid spoilers. The timeline of the Saw series can get quite messy, with many twists and turns that make it challenging to follow if you’re not familiar with the order in which the films were released.
- Saw – Released on October 29, 2004, this is where the journey begins. The film sets up the core concept of Jigsaw, a serial killer who forces his victims to play deadly games to survive.
- Saw II – Released on October 28, 2005, the sequel continues the story and introduces new characters, including Detective Eric Matthews who tries to rescue his son trapped in another deadly game.
- Saw III – Released on October 27, 2006, this film deepens the story of Jigsaw, his apprentice Amanda Young, and their twisted games. It adds significant layers to the ongoing saga.
- Saw IV – Released on October 26, 2007, the fourth installment reveals more about the history of Jigsaw and introduces new elements that will play a role in the series’ future.
- Saw V – Released on October 24, 2008, this film follows directly after the events of Saw IV and shows the aftermath of Jigsaw’s death.
- Saw VI – Released on October 23, 2009, the sixth movie continues the story from where Saw V left off and goes into the consequences of Jigsaw’s actions on a corrupt insurance company.
- Saw 3D (Also known as Saw: The Final Chapter) – Released on October 29, 2010, this film attempts to wrap up various storylines from the previous movies, featuring a character who falsely claims to have survived a Jigsaw game.
- Jigsaw – Released on October 27, 2017, this film brings a fresh twist to the franchise with new characters and a mysterious new killer.
- Spiral: From the Book of Saw – Released on May 14, 2021, this installment shifts focus to a new storyline with Detective Zeke Banks investigating a series of murders reminiscent of Jigsaw’s games.
- Saw X – Released on September 29, 2023, this film takes place shortly after the events of the original Saw and shows Jigsaw’s attempts to find a cure for his cancer.
- Saw XI – Scheduled for release on September 26, 2025, this film will continue the story, adding new layers to the complex narrative.
Watching the Saw Movies in Chronological Order
For those who want to piece together the timeline of the Saw series and understand the chronological sequence of events, here is a breakdown of the films in (relatively) chronological order. Be warned, this section contains spoilers.
Half of ‘Jigsaw’
Jigsaw (2017) features a storyline where five people wake up in a barn filled with deadly traps. This game is revealed to be one of the earliest orchestrated by John Kramer, known as Jigsaw, and takes place before the events of the original Saw film.
‘Saw’
James Wan’s original Saw film (2004) serves as the starting point for the series. The story follows two men trapped in a bathroom with a dying man, Jigsaw, giving them a chance to escape if they follow his rules. Flashbacks throughout the series reveal that this is not John Kramer’s first game. By this time, Kramer had already recruited two key figures in his twisted plans: Amanda Young and Mark Hoffman.
‘Saw X’
Saw X (2023) occurs just a few weeks after the events of the original Saw. John Kramer, facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, travels to Mexico seeking a cure that turns out to be a scam.
He teams up with Amanda Young, who has recently survived her own trial. This film ties closely to the later films, showing how Kramer’s desperate search for a cure links to Saw III and Saw VI. It provides a backstory on Amanda’s apprenticeship and her role in Kramer’s plans.
‘Saw II’
In Saw II (2005), Detective Eric Matthews tries to save his son, Daniel, who is trapped in a house filling with poisonous gas. This film takes place approximately one year after the events of the original Saw. The actual game within Saw II, involving eight people in the gas-filled house, occurs a few days before John Kramer’s arrest.
The film includes a flashback showing John Kramer surviving a suicide attempt, which leads him to become Jigsaw and give others a chance at life, similar to the chance he felt he was given.
‘Saw III’ / ‘Saw IV’
Saw III (2006) and Saw IV (2007) occur simultaneously, six months after the events of Saw II. In Saw III, John Kramer sets up a game involving a man named Jeff, who is forced to confront his past and his grief over his son’s death.
Amanda Young, one of John’s apprentices, kidnaps a doctor named Lynn to keep John alive during the game. The film ends with John dying from cancer and Amanda being killed by Jeff.
Saw IV continues the story from Saw III, revealing how John Kramer prepared for his death by leaving clues for a group of detectives. These detectives become part of his final game, and one of them, Hoffman, is revealed to be John’s apprentice.
In Saw IV, a flashback shows how an accident caused by an addict named Cecil Adams led to John Kramer’s wife, Jill Tuck, losing her baby. Cecil becomes Jigsaw’s first victim as a result.
‘Saw V’
Saw V (2008) picks up shortly after the events of Saw IV. In this film, Hoffman, now a lieutenant, is tasked with investigating the Jigsaw murders.
The story centers on Hoffman’s cat-and-mouse game with FBI Agent Strahm, ending with Hoffman capturing and killing Strahm. Hoffman frames Strahm as the new Jigsaw, continuing his mentor’s legacy.
The film reveals that the opening trap, involving a pendulum that cuts a convicted murderer in half, was actually created by Hoffman to mimic a Jigsaw killing. John Kramer later recruits Hoffman for his cause.
‘Saw VI’
Saw VI (2009) starts a few days after the events of Saw V. Hoffman sets up a game for employees of a corrupt health insurance company, where the company’s top executive, William Easton, must rescue his employees and family. Meanwhile, the FBI realizes that Strahm was framed and that the real killer is still at large.
The film reveals that William Easton denied Kramer’s insurance coverage, which could have saved his life. It also shows that Amanda Young was partially responsible for Jill’s miscarriage, information used by Hoffman to blackmail Amanda into committing murder.
‘Saw 3D’ (Also known as ‘Saw: The Final Chapter’)
Saw 3D (2010) occurs a few weeks after Saw VI. The film’s main character, Bobby Dagen, gains fame by falsely claiming he survived a Jigsaw game. The movie attempts to conclude various storylines from previous films.
It’s revealed that Dr. Lawrence Gordon survived after the original Saw and became a Jigsaw accomplice. He works behind the scenes in subsequent films.
The Other Half of ‘Jigsaw’
The Jigsaw film also features a storyline with Detectives Halloran and Hunt, which takes place ten years after John Kramer’s death.
‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021) does not specify its exact timeline but is set a few years after Jigsaw. It follows Detective Zeke Banks, who investigates a series of murders by a new killer targeting police officers. The film ends with a twist where Schenk, Banks’ partner, is revealed as the killer.
This comprehensive guide will help you see the Saw series, whether you choose to follow the release order or piece together the story chronologically.
