Not so long ago, the idea of Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock headlining a Saw movie would’ve seemed ridiculous, but here we are. Spiral: The Book of Saw is set to release next month and, now that we’ve only got a couple of weeks to go, the first clip from the ninth entry in the horror franchise has come our way, and it features the Marvel legend being challenged to play a game. What are the odds that this will not end well for him?
The clip finds Jackson in what looks to be an old warehouse where he discovers a message written on the wall in blood. “Do you want to play a game, Chief Banks?” it reads. Banks isn’t fazed and he reacts to the threat in iconic Sam Jackson style. Unfortunately, he stills goes and does the worst thing you can do in a horror film and walks towards the creepy music coming from the next room.
Jackson’s character has only been revealed as “Marcus” before now, but this clip appears to confirm that his full name is Chief Banks. That suggests a familial connection between him and Chris Rock’s protagonist, Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks.
According to the synopsis, the plot will follow Zeke, who’s “working in the shadow” of Jackson’s “esteemed police veteran,” and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) as they take on “a grisly investigation” into a series of murders that are “eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past.” As he becomes sucked into the deepening mystery, “Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.”
Despite the influx of new stars, Spiral: The Book of Saw comes from longtime vets of the Saw saga – director Darren Lynn Bousman (Sav II-IV) and writers Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger (Jigsaw). Will it manage to get the series back on track after a couple rough outings, though? We’ll find out when it hits theaters on May 14th.
