Want to play a game? Veteran actor Tobin Bell certainly does, as the 82-year-old is set to reprise his now-iconic role as Jigsaw in the upcoming Saw XI.
The new movie marks the eleventh title in the long-running Saw series, an American horror media franchise created by Australian filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell. With the original film released in 2004, the series’ ten titles received mixed reviews, but still managed to be a financial success, grossing more than US$1 billion at the box office, alongside becoming a pop culture phenomenon.
During an interview with Los Angeles Times, Bell discussed his humble beginnings as an aspiring actor, going from working at 53 different part-time jobs to support his acting career, to eventually landing his iconic Saw role courtesy of his appearance in the 1999 drama Once and Again. Casting director Amy Lippens was impressed by Bell’s commanding and intense voice and recommended him for the voice of Jigsaw’s tapes in the 2004 original.
Portraying John Kramer (AKA Jigsaw) across each film in the series, Bell admitted that even though he does not condone Kramer’s actions, he fully understood the character’s contempt for his victims. “John feels that the world has been taken over by mediocre people,” he said. “He believes we all have to deal with the consequences of what we create. And that these people are not appreciative of what they have.”
Surprisingly, Bell confessed to never being a fan of horror titles, although he has gained an understanding of the genre and what draws fans to it. “It’s a visceral experience that you can’t control,” Bell said. “You’re not just sitting, passively watching. All of a sudden you [get startled]. Some people like that. Not my cup of tea, necessarily. When I was a kid I didn’t like going to horror films. As soon as the scary part of a film would come up, I’d be down behind the seat.”
On the topic of the new film, Bell confirmed that he will be reprising his role as Kramer, and that the character will be a main part of the upcoming Saw XI. Bell also hoped that the resurgence in critical and audience reception following 2023’s Saw X will allow him to further elevate the quality of the series.
Even after devoting more than 50 years of his life to acting, it seems that Bell is just getting started, writing a memoir as well as his own screenplays. Despite having so much experience gained over the years, Bell admitted his excitement for the continued development of his most memorable role, stating that “John Kramer is not done [and] there’s more to learn.”
Saw XI is slated for release in Fall 2025.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Si Jia
A'bidah Zaid
