Along with releasing a brand-new image, Spiral: From the Book of Saw director Darren Lynn Bousman has cited a very promising horror flick from the genre’s past as inspiration for the upcoming sequel. While discussing the movie, which is also known in some areas as Spiral: From the Book of Saw, Bousman revealed what drew him to Chris Rock’s idea for the movie, with creative pair hoping that Spiral will have a similar feel to a particular serial killer masterpiece.
“Chris came in with a thriller concept. He pitched this very elaborate, dense idea. We wanted it to feel much more like Seven. But it has so many ties to the mythos of Saw.”
Chris Rock’s upcoming horror reboot #Spiral: From The Book Of Saw feels ‘more like Seven’, director @darren_bousman tells Empire. Read more and see an exclusive new image: https://t.co/6f9gqZDSJxpic.twitter.com/O4PmqCRylM
— Empire Magazine (@empiremagazine) January 20, 2021
Along with director David Fincher’s seminal horror, Spiral will of course harken back to the long-running Saw franchise, of which director Darren Lynn Bousman has been involved, helming previous sequels Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV. The director though plans to make some changes for Spiral and promises that, while the movie will still be the ninth installment in the Saw franchise, things will be very different thanks to his more mature attitude as a filmmaker.
“I was a younger person. Gore and violence was the gimmick, I think. Gore and violent is no longer a gimmick – it just serves the story. This is much more about character, tension and fear.”
Along with the toned-down blood and gore, another tonal shift for Spiral will no doubt come from Chris Rock himself, whose extensive background in comedy is sure to result in a few laughs to cut through the serial killer dramatics.
“I’ve been a fan of Saw since the first film in 2004,” Rock previously said about the project. “I am excited by the opportunity to take this to a really intense and twisted new place.” Lionsgate’s CEO Joe Drake has also discussed the approach to Spiral, describing Rock’s idea as “completely reverential to the legacy of the material while reinvigorating the brand with his wit, creative vision and passion for this classic horror franchise”.
Seven remains one of the quintessential examples of the horror genre due to its grimy and mercilessly brutal approach to the serial killer story. Fondly remembered for its more grounded take on the genre, as well as its haunting finale, the comparison should certainly excite Saw fans, along with horror fans curious to see where Chris Rock plans to take the franchise.
Spiral follows Chris Rock as Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks, who, while working in the shadow of esteemed police veteran Marcus Banks, played by Samuel L. Jackson, finds himself on the trail of a sadistic mastermind. Unleashing a twisted form of justice, Banks and his rookie partner, Detective William Schenk played by Max Minghella, take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, and written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger, Spiral also stars Marisol Nichols as Captain Angie Garza and Zoie Palmer as Kara Boswick alongside Rock, Jackson and Minghella.
Spiral is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 21, 2021, by Lionsgate, after being delayed from its original release date of May 15, 2020, due to the ongoing global circumstances. This comes to us from Empire.