Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you have to admit one thing about the SAW franchise: it has managed to avoid the pit that sucks so many horror sequels down into box office oblivion. The first SAW was a sleeper hit, considered a success because its tiny $1-million investment netted nearly $50-million at U.S. theatres; both SAW II and SAW III expanded on that number, each earning over $80-million.
This trajectory is of considerable consequence with SAW IV in the can. Graphic horror is having a rather weak year at the box office, and recent results (the disappointment of GRINDHOUSE, the bomb that was HOSTEL PART II) suggest that splatter appeal no longer draws viewers, who may be turning toward more traditional, spooky horror (witness the relative success of 1408). Despite these ill omens, SAW IV director Darren Lyn Bousman (who has been with the franchise since Part II) thinks he has nothing to worry about. Continue reading “Saw IV – Darren Lynn Bousman Interview”