Lionsgate Ponders 'Saw' Reboot Or Sequel

For the record, the "Saw" franchise went on at least four chapters longer than advisable. That's coming from a fan.

Many more - let's be generous and just consider the ones who liked the original - would take that further and say that 2004's debut should've never received a sequel to begin with.

Still, no one genre is as demonstrably, unfortunately reboot-prone as horror. That being said, eight years removed from "Saw" and two from "Saw 3D" / "Saw: The Final Chapter," here we stand: Lionsgate is certain there's a golden egg left in the goose's belly, and the studio is fetching the carving knife, BloodyDisgusting.com reports.

Really? Granted, "Twilight" takes its last bow this November and "The Hunger Games" only spans a trilogy, but....another "Saw" installment? Citing "sources we trust," the blog claims executives are discussing continuing the franchise with either a reboot or an eighth film in the original line.

For those who have neither seen nor familiarized themselves with it, Australian filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Wannell's "Saw" was a 2004 indie-horror darling that swept away audiences at its Sundance Film Festival debut. The story of the sadistic Jigsaw and his violent means of instilling appreciation for life in those he sees as forsaking it garnered such buzz, that it grossed over $100 million worldwide following its Oct. 29, 2004, debut in theaters. Several subsequent sequels, despite being increasingly drubbed with each passing sequel by critics and audiences alike, topped $870 million in worldwide grosses.

That's a pride-worthy feat, for a project that began as a 2003 short film to pitch a still-bigger vision to studios.

(SPOILER ALERT!) In 2006, "Saw III" featured the demise of Jigsaw, but the ensuing rash of four more sequels chronicled the respective rises and falls of Jigsaw's various and sundry apprentices in stories that featured decreasing emphasis on certain psychological complexities of the first, and increasing trumpeting of deaths that increased with each in blood spilt and also volume. Eventually, 2010's "Final Chapter" - yep, they dared invoke that lie of all lies - seemingly tied up every loose end and sent the saga packing.

Here's where misplaced priorities take the wheel and send the bus careening into a manure stockpile: though an embarrassing 10 percent of critics on RottenTomatoes.com gave "Final Chapter" an even remotely positive review, it still made $8.9 million on its opening day and snatched the box-office crown that weekend from the vastly superior "Paranormal Activity 2." Grosses notwithstanding, this is one time the critics nailed it: this was where it needed to end.

I can't believe I'm saying this - and I'm fairly certain I will regret it - but if anything, Lionsgate, go with a sequel if you absolutely must. Seriously. There's nothing to be gained from rebooting the original. The original was too outstanding and fresh to be improved greatly upon, and it's far, far too recent to make retooling it for a fresh audience practical.

Even better, one thing would be absolutely preferable above all else: leave Jigsaw's work completed.