TV & Movies

Saw X producers clear up timeline confusion

Daisy Phillipson
Tobin Bell as John Kramer in Saw XLionsgate

The long-running producers of the Saw franchise, Mark Burg and Oren Koules, have cleared up the timeline of Saw X, explaining exactly when the movie is set.

Say what you want about the Saw franchise – you can’t deny it’s made some daring choices when it comes to storytelling. As the series expanded, its commitment to delivering unexpected twists often resulted in revelations that forced audiences to rethink what they knew about previous events or characters. 

What’s more, we often didn’t find out about certain details until the next film or even further – Amanda’s letter, for instance, or the contents of the box John left Jill in the wake of his death. While it makes for thrilling viewing, it’s also complicated the narrative somewhat, leaving a number of fans scratching their heads over the timeline. 

Saw X will be time-jumping once more, as it will actually be set after the events of the very first Saw movie, which dropped back in 2004. But given the fact that the franchise’s timeline isn’t linear, you might be wondering: exactly when does Saw X take place?

Saw X producers clear up timeline confusion

Dexerto sat down with Saw producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, who explained that Saw X “takes place about three weeks after Saw,” aka the first movie in the franchise. It’s also set before Saw 2 – flashbacks not included – which itself takes place around one year after the first entry. 

“So literally imagine he closes the door, game over from the first Saw. This is about three weeks later. He’s John Kramer, he has cancer, and he’s trying to figure out how much longer he has to live and he tries to extend his life. That’s how the movie takes off.”

The timeline is also highlighted in the synopsis for Saw X, which reads: “Set between the events of Saw I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. 

“Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through a series of ingenious and terrifying traps.”

If you’re reading this and you’re still confused, check out our guide on how to watch the Saw movies in order, with a detailed rundown of the timeline – flashbacks and all – here. 

Saw X drops in theaters on September 29. You can find more of our Saw coverage below:

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