Saw X’s Record-Breaking Runtime Decision Explained by Director

Saw X director Kevin Greutert has spoken out on the film’s runtime, which sets a new record as the longest entry in the entire franchise.

Most previous entries in the iconic Saw horror franchise clocked in at around a breezy 90 minutes. However, for John Kramer’s trip to Mexico, Saw X will come in at 1 hour and 58 minutes.

While speaking exclusively with The Direct’s Russ Milheim, Greutert shared that “the film was a lot longer at first,” partially because of how they “spent so much time writing and shooting it:”

“Well, believe it or not, the film was a lot longer at first. And this is very new for me because every film I’ve ever directed came in a lot shorter than I wanted it to. So, in the case of this one, we spent so much time writing it and shooting it… the first cut of the film was super long… This film came in longer than I had intended it to, we shot a lot on the set.”

The long runtime was first teased at Midsummer Scream 2023, and it became official only a few weeks later.

The director admitted how they had to “trim the film down… more than [he] wanted,” but he hopes the movie “doesn’t feel bloated, or that it drags anywhere:”

“There were a lot of script pages and just a lot that we wanted to capture. So, I had to trim the film down and take out some scenes and shorten some scenes more than I wanted. So, I’m hoping that even though the film is almost two hours long, it doesn’t feel bloated or that it drags anywhere. You know, because this was sort of the cream up the footage that we shot.”

For those who may not remember the length of every Saw film to date, that handy information can be found below:

• Saw — 1 hour, 43 minutes
• Saw II — 1 hour, 33 minutes
• Saw III — 1 hour, 47 minutes
• Saw IV — 1 hour, 32 minutes
• Saw V — 1 hour, 32 minutes
• Saw VI — 1 hour, 31 minutes
• Saw: The Final Chapter — 1 hour, 31 minutes
• Jigsaw — 1 hour, 32 minutes
• Spiral — 1 hour, 35 minutes

Why Saw X’s Lengthy Runtime Is a Good Thing

A longer runtime could have both a positive and negative effect on the final project.

For one, the movie might feel bloated and drag on—especially when directly compared to previous Saw films which tend to move at a breakneck speed.

On the other hand, more time could allow for more character work. With John Kramer being front and center in Saw X, this new entry will give the iconic serial killer more time in the spotlight than he’s ever gotten before in a single movie.

The upcoming installment could also feature more deadly traps than any other entry in the franchise. If there’s anything fans always want more of, it’s those.

Either way, fans should be thrilled to be getting more Saw. Hopefully, the new sequel’s longer runtime is properly handled and justified. Perhaps its nearly 2-hour-long length could result in one of the most unique Saw films yet.

Saw X hits theaters on Friday, September 29.