Approaching the release of its tenth installment Saw X, the saga started by director James Wan and co-writer/star Leigh Whannell is going back in time. Resurrecting Tobin Bell’s John Kramer, aka “Jigsaw,” this 2023 new movie release takes place between the first two chapters of this iconic franchise. This also means that Shawnee Smith’s Amanda can be brought back for more fun and games, and fans are absolutely hyped that it’s actually happening.
Lionsgate has been stoking the fires pretty heavily as of late, with the release of Saw X’s first look giving the world a fresh hell to experience. Just as that trailer ended, good old Amanda Young popped up as the final reveal, though some think another returning Jigsaw disciple is hidden within that first footage.
While we can’t confirm if that’s true, we can show you the new look at Ms. Smith’s Saw X return. That’s thanks to the new photo, shared below:
Good to see you again, Amanda. pic.twitter.com/uwTp9yorGkJuly 30, 2023
The Saw fandom could technically consider this a belated Christmas present, as Smith’s Saw X return was first rumored in late 2022. Now that this happy news has been confirmed to the world, and through a pretty awesome photo to boot, it’s time to get excited! And there’s nowhere better to start than a tweet from user “GHOTlKA,” who tweeted this from the rooftops:
MOTHER IS BACK
Yes she is, Ghotika! Yes she is! Last seen in 2009’s Saw VI, Shawnee Smith actually died on screen during the events of 2006’s Saw III. But through the power of flashbacks, and an increasingly intricate timeline, there’s always been room for Amanda Young to return.
Participant “SynysterShad0wz” is another person who seems to be shouting about Saw X and its decision to loop Amanda back into the world. However, they also took the time to dig into that previously mentioned theory where Detective Hoffman might also be returning, voicing their hopes as follows:
WHERES HOFFMAN WE NEED HOFFMAN, AMANDA AND KRAMER TOGETHER AGAIN
Look, we all have questions about Jigsaw’s return in Saw X after watching that trailer. And I’d definitely count that need to see Costas Mandylor’s disciple come back to the fold as one of the hottest tipped queries in the bunch. Turning back to those fan reactions, our next piece is from “peachbloodbunny,” who may or may not be psychic after the story they’re about to share:
15 seconds before this scene "I wish they'd bring Amanda back" -screams as soon as I see Amanda-
That’s a perfectly valid response, as again, we haven’t seen Shawnee Smith in this role for a little over a decade. So seeing that pig mask come off to reveal our dear friend back in the cloak was clearly something for the fans. Though speaking of which, those of you whose interests overlap between Saw and Scream are going to love this next bit, courtesy of “tdavis0620”:
Rocking the scream 3 gale weather bangs
Now normally, the rationale was that “If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw.” However, Saw X’s release date was moved up a month into its current September 29th release slot due to some promising test screenings.
Should that be true, the return of Shawnee Smith and Tobin Bell might just be the miracle the series has been looking for. Twitter user “Ostacity” seems to be bracing themselves for this moment, asking this question in the wake of Ms. Smith’s resurgence:
Am I mentally ready to be scarred again…September here I come
The end of September release of Saw X is close enough to be considered a seasonal highlight though, despite taking a month of time away from potential catch-up sessions. And taking another look at the reactions above, maybe it's time to start expecting fans to also be rocking those Scream 3 bangs, as well as the infamous coat that Amanda, John and so many other Jigsaw disciples have worn with pride.
If you need that refresher course on the Saw series, the first seven films are currently streaming through Starz, which can also be accessed through an add-on to your Prime Video subscription. Whether or not you dive back into the past of John Kramer’s exploits, well, as always, that’s your choice.
