Saw is an American horror franchise distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment and produced by
Twisted Pictures. There are seven films in this series, as well as additional media, and the eighth seems to be coming out very soon. The franchise started off as a short film helping to pitch as a potential feature film, created by well-known horror film director James Wan and horror film screenwriter Leigh Whannell. Leigh Whannell actually acted in Saw, Saw II, and Saw III.Lionsgate picked up Saw's worldwide distribution rights just days before the film premiered on January 19th, 2004. The film then played for three nights and gained a very positive reaction. This reaction allowed the film to be used as the closing film at a very sophisticated festival for Toronto International Film on September 18th, 2004. Originally, Lionsgate planned to release the film straight to DVD (direct-to-video), however, the outstanding reaction at the festival forced the organisation to release it theatrically by Halloween. Twisted Pictures then officially formed after the box office success in 2004, leading to a nine-picture distribution deal with Lionsgate. Six sequels were then produced in the Saw film series.
The film series would not have become such a big hit if it wasn't for its distribution. Distribution is the main factor in a film’s success; it allows the media text to be revealed to the public/a wider audience. The budget for the first Saw was only $1,200,000, however after Lionsgate decided to partner with James Wan, Leigh Whannell, and Twisted Pictures and extended the film series, the budget for the next few films increased greatly, as shown in the following table.
| Film | Release date | Revenue | Budget | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Canada | Other markets | Worldwide | ||||
| Saw | October 29, 2004 | $55,185,045 | $47,911,300 | $103,096,345 | $1–1.2 million | |
| Saw II | October 28, 2005 | $87,039,965 | $60,708,540 | $147,748,505 | $4 million | |
| Saw III | October 27, 2006 | $80,238,724 | $84,635,551 | $164,874,275 | $10 million | |
| Saw IV | October 26, 2007 | $63,300,095 | $76,052,538 | $139,352,633 | $10 million | |
| Saw V | October 24, 2008 | $56,746,769 | $57,117,290 | $113,864,059 | $10.8 million | |
| Saw VI | October 23, 2009 | $27,693,292 | $40,540,337 | $68,233,629 | $11 million | |
| Saw 3D | October 29, 2010 | $45,710,178 | $90,440,256 | $136,150,434 | $17 million | |
| Total | $415,914,068 | $457,405,812 | $873,319,880 | $64 million estimated | ||
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