10 Horror Franchises That Spectacularly Bounced Back

Was anyone particularly clamouring for a tenth Saw movie? And not just that, but a film which brought back a character who technically was killed off in the third entry all the way back in 2006?

Limping to cinemas with minimal fuss last Halloween season, Saw X remarkably crafted one of the best outings of the entire Saw franchise. Legitimately, that tenth picture is in the conversation with Saw and Saw III as being the greatest of the bunch.

Taking place between Saw and Saw II - meaning its was both a sequel and a prequel - Saw X picked things up with Tobin Bell's John Kramer as he desperately hunts down an experimental procedure which purportedly will cure him of his terminal cancer. Once that treatment is revealed to be a scam, Kramer goes full-on Jigsaw as he punishes those who'd played a role in duping him.

While Saw VI has its share of fans, the property had struggled quality-wise since Saw IV, with gore and twists-for-the-sake-of-twists taking precedent over well crafted, tight storytelling. Of course, the relatively low costs of making a Saw movie meant a hefty profit was easily achievable regardless of how good the final product was, but with Saw X, we got a more delicate, sombre tale anchored by a phenomenal Tobin Bell. And yes, obviously the intense, brutal violence of the franchise was there when called for.