How to Watch the Saw Movies in Order: From Jigsaw’s First Trap to His Shocking Demise

in 2004 Saw remains one of the most influential horror films of the modern era.

In the film, a sadistic killer known as Jigsaw kidnaps his victims and forces them to suffer through elaborate traps and games. What made the film so complex was the revelation that Jigsaw chooses his victims based on their horrible past choices that he believes they must “redeem”.

With a budget of $1.2 million, Saw became a huge hit and earned over $103 million at the box office. This spawned a series of sequels that ultimately turned the franchise into one of the longest-running horror franchises.

Over the years, Saw the franchise has recruited a host of big name actors including Chris Rock, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Danny Glover and Donnie Wahlberg.

The franchise now has 10 films, an eleventh on the way in 2025, and even a theme park attraction in England. The films were released from 2004 to 2023, but their release order does not follow the same timeline as the story. Instead, the films jump around in time and connect in compelling ways.

To find out how to watch Saw franchises in chronological order, keep reading.

How to watch Saw Movies in order of release

• Saw
• Pila II
• Pila III
• Saw IV
• Saw V
• Saw VI
• Saw 3D
• jigsaw
• Spiral
• Saw X

How to watch Saw Movies in chronological order

jigsaw (2017)

Paul Braunstein, Mandela Van Peebles and Laura Vandervoort in ‘Jigsaw’.

Cinematheque/Shutterstock

Saw 3D (2010) was originally billed as “The Final Chapter”, which in 2017 jigsaw uniquely positioned to revive a franchise that had been dormant for seven years — not to mention the fact that Jigsaw died in the third film.

jigsaw cleverly divided his story into two parts, making it both a predecessor and a sequel. One half takes place in modern times after the events of the other films, with a copycat killer on the loose torturing his victims in Jigsaw-like traps.

The second half is a prequel, revealing one of Jigsaw’s games that took place before the first film.

Saw (2004)

Leigh Whannell in ‘Saw’.

Evolution/Saw Prods Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock

The original film reveals Jigsaw’s sadistic methods. When fans first met the serial killer, his game was to tie up two men in a bathroom and force them to compete for survival.

The other trap scenes in the first film are all flashbacks — including the now famous “reverse bear trap” worn by Amanda Young (Smith) who became a prominent character in the franchise.

Big names Glover and Monica Potter also starred in the film. Saw directed by James Wan, who became a big name in horror thanks to hits like Swearing and Treacherous.

How to watch ‘The Conjuring’ movies in chronological order

Saw X (2023)

Octavio Hinojosa in ‘Saw X’.

Lionsgate

Despite being the last released film, Saw X surprised viewers by taking place between the first and second films.

Anthony Stabley, the film’s production designer, explained the reasons behind this timeline choice. “I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that we love the first two Saw movies. We wanted to get back into that world,” he told PEOPLE in 2023.

The film follows John Kramer (better known as Jigsaw) as he goes to a Mexican medical facility to receive treatment for an advanced cancer. However, upon arrival, he discovers that the facility is a fraud used to rob patients. He then works with Amanda to teach criminals what it’s like to fight for their lives.

Pila II (2005)

‘Saw II’.

Twisted Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock

IN Pila II, a group of eight people wake up trapped together. Jigsaw informs them that nerve gas is slowly being pumped through the vents and will kill them in two hours – unless they can follow the rules and find a way to escape.

One of the victims is Amanda, who reveals at the beginning of the film that she has started using drugs again, for which she thinks Jigsaw is punishing her this time. However, at the end of the film, it is revealed that Amanda was actually part of the game and was helping the serial killer all along.

This time, 7. heaven star Beverly Mitchell played one of Jigsaw’s victims, and Wahlberg played detective Eric Matthews.

Pila III (2006)

Shawnee Smith and Bahar Soomekh in ‘Saw III’.

Lions Gate Films/Kobal/Shutterstock

Takes place shortly after the events of Pila II, more victims find themselves in more traps, but this time something is different. Many traps are set and have no real way for victims to escape.

It is later revealed that Jigsaw’s cancer has progressed, pushing him closer to death so it is Amanda who creates the new devices. Consumed by her rage, Amanda no longer believes in giving her victims a chance to survive the horrific torture machines.

At the end of the film, both Amanda and Jigsaw are killed for their crimes. Pila III remains the highest-grossing film in the franchise, grossing over $164 million.

Saw IV (2007)

‘Saw IV’.

Lions Gate/Twisted/Kobal/Shutterstock

Saw IV begins with a medical team performing an autopsy on Jigsaw’s body. Being the sadistic mastermind that he is, it turns out that just before his death, Jigsaw swallowed a microcassette that reveals the message: The Games Are Not Over. In fact, they are just getting started.

Like all things Sawvictims begin to wake up in the traps again — and we later learn that the new killer is Jigsaw’s second student, Detective Mark Hoffman from Pila III.

Despite the original villain being dead, Bell reprises the role through flashback scenes that reveal his tumultuous past and why he started creating these twisted games.

Saw V (2008)

Scott Patterson in ‘Saw V’.

Twisted Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock

Picking up immediately after the events of the fourth film, Saw V features Detective Hoffman who is promoted for his work solving the Jigsaw murders, while at the same time being the one who committed them.

Later in the film, a group of five strangers (including characters played by Meagan Good and Julie Benz) wake up in the sewers and are forced to survive a series of trap-filled rooms.

Saw VI (2009)

Tobin Bell in ‘Saw VI’.

Twisted Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock

Hoffman continues his maniacal rampage Saw VIwhich begins just a few days after the events of Saw V. This time the main victim is an insurance broker who denied coverage to Jigsaw during his battle with cancer.

Making matters worse is that Jigsaw gave his ex-wife Jill a task before he died: to put his student Hoffman to his own test. Towards the end of the film, Jill ambushes the detective and ties him up in an inverted bear trap, which he narrowly escapes.

Saw 3D (2010)

‘Saw 3D – The Final Chapter’.

Lions Gate/Kobal/Shutterstock

Saw 3Dalso known as Saw: The Final Chapter, continued the duel between Hoffman and Jill while providing the audience with more gruesome traps and murders. The film revolves around a man who pretends to survive Jigsaw’s games only to actually find himself caught in one of his traps.

Both main characters are killed off by the end of the film, and it is revealed that she is one of Jigsaw’s original victims from the first Saw movie, Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes) is a new intern.

Like the seventh Saw a film that will be released in a series, Saw 3D closed the original release of the franchise.

Spiral: From the book Saw (2021)

Chris Rock in the film ‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’.

Lionsgate/Moviestore/Shutterstock

in 2021 Spiral doesn’t say directly when it happens in Saw chronologically, but based on the plot of the film, it must be sometime after the events of the main series.

In the film, detective Zeke Banks (Rock) investigates a series of gruesome murders that closely follow the work of Jigsaw. As he digs deeper, alongside characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella, Banks discovers that he is somehow involved in a new killing spree.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, director Darren Lynn Bousman had this to say Spiral it was so gory that MPA gave it an NC-17 rating 11 times before it was finally edited enough to get an R rating.

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Source: HIS Education