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David Mumpower: I agree with Tim's sentiment that this is a nice recovery that allows the Saw franchise to go on hiatus for a while without seeming like a total failure, which would have been the case if they had taken a break after Saw VI. I also agree with Mr. Huntley that we've gone wrong as a people when a movie this horrible can open this well. The storyline revealed in Saw 3D makes me believe that nobody wanted to stop making Saw movies until such a time as they could completely undo all of the good ideas from the original. What they chose to do with one of the characters from Saw in order to make Saw 3D surprising is an abomination and one that requires a total lack of credulity to boot. As for the release date of the next Saw film, put me down for October of 2014 in the betting pool. Winner doesn't have to see Saw VIII.

The horror. The horror.

Kim Hollis: There were six Nightmare on Elm street films released from 1984-1991. There were eight Friday the 13th films from 1980 through 1989. This is the seventh Saw film since 2004. Philosophically, does this sort of near-annual release pattern for horror films bother you? Why or why not? Do you think you would have a different strategy if you were a studio boss with the keys to the franchise?

Josh Spiegel: I'll answer the last question first, because it'll be the shortest answer: if I was a studio boss, I'd do what every studio boss has done and order as many sequels as possible. Money is money, and the studio execs probably don't care how the movies do in the long-term, as long as they're cheap and make enough in the first weekend. The pattern mentioned in the original post would bother me...if I was a big horror-movie fan. I'm not, so I see the constant annual sequels as more cash-ins that I'm not going to help out. Paranormal Activity 3 should be announced soon, and once that happens, it'll become yet another franchise that doesn't know when to quit, because those studio bosses don't want them to quit.





Bruce Hall: You nailed it Josh. I couldn't have said it better! I know this because I did type something out, it just wasn't better!

Matthew Huntley: Great reply, Josh. I agree wholeheartedly. If I may answer the first question: yes, it does bother me. Why? Because I am a fan of all films and it's hard not to take it personally when something you like is tarnished in the name of profits. Regarding all the sub-par franchises Kim mentioned, I get the impression the filmmakers/studios behind them just don't care about quality. I'm sorry, but that's just wrong, especially when your product reaches so many people. I would like to think if I was a studio boss I would try to balance my personal love of cinematic storytelling with my decisions to greenlight certain projects, to balance integrity with profits.

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