After taking a lengthy – and much needed – hiatus from cinemas, the Saw franchise is finally ready to once again shed gallons of blood with its latest installment, Jigsaw. But despite featuring a returning Tobin Bell who’s set to reprise the role of John Kramer in some capacity, all signs point toward a copycat at play, but more on that later.
So, while the debate as to whether Kramer was a serial killer or misunderstood crimefighter rages on, we can take solace in knowing that yet another familiar totem of the highly lucrative horror franchise will make its return. This time, though, the latest piece of promotional material comes to us in the form of a poster hyping the film’s Japanese release (seen below), with Billy the puppet prominently featured.
From the very beginning, Billy served as one of the original Jigsaw killer’s trademarks, so it’s quite understandable that the folks at Lionsgate bring him back for another tour. After all, anyone who fancies themselves a diehard fan of this series probably owns some kind of replica. Heck, some people have even cosplayed as Billy as opposed to Kramer himself!
Given all that, we must continue to question the possible copycat’s relation to John, especially since they seem so familiar with his modus operandi and share his taste for showmanship. It’s important to note that neither Costas Mandylor nor Cary Elwes are set to return, so either there’s a new player in town after all, or this series is about to take an unexpected supernatural turn. Regardless, we can’t wait to see what the final twist will be.
Jigsaw opens in theaters on October 27.
