The ‘Saw‘ movies have kept fans on edge for years with their twisted traps and dark lessons about survival.
However, before the films became a global horror phenomenon, the story’s creators drew inspiration from real-life experiences that were just as disturbing. And in some ways, even more frightening than fiction.
The Real Inspiration Behind ‘Saw’
Before ‘Saw‘ hit theaters, James Wan and Leigh Whannell were just two young filmmakers trying to create something unforgettable. They had already decided the movie would take place in a single, grimy room, but they still needed a reason behind their villain’s twisted logic.
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In an interview with The A.V. Club, Whannell said he suffered from severe migraines when he was younger, so intense that he once went to the hospital. While waiting for his results, he began wondering how he’d react if the doctors told him he was dying. That dark “what if” became the spark for Jigsaw’s character.
Whannell explained that he imagined someone putting others in that same situation, forcing them to face death and see how they’d respond. Instead of a doctor giving someone a year to live, his villain would give them ten minutes and ask, “What will you do with that time?” That idea turned into Jigsaw’s chilling belief: people only value life when they’re about to lose it.
The True Crime That Inspired Jigsaw’s Methods
While Whannell’s health scare shaped Jigsaw’s philosophy, James Wan’s influence came from a story that haunted him for years. In the ‘Saw II‘ special edition featurette, Wan revealed that when he was 17, he heard about a real-life criminal case involving a man who broke into homes solely to tickle children’s feet.
Wan said it was the creepiest thing he’d ever heard and that it scared him so much he kept a hammer by his bed for several nights. The criminal, later caught by police, told officers he hadn’t acted alone, claiming someone had forced him to do it. When Whannell looked into the story, he found reports that the man had received a jigsaw puzzle piece with instructions to commit the crimes.
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That disturbing detail stayed with Wan. Wan later explained that this case became the model for the character Zep in the first ‘Saw‘ film. It was about a man who carried out Jigsaw’s commands to appear as the real killer. Just when the filmmakers thought their horror creation couldn’t get any stranger, things took another eerie turn.
During the movie’s promotion, the Saw team received an anonymous letter decorated with a drawing of a jigsaw piece. The writer claimed to be the real person the story was based on, saying they enjoyed the movie and thought the actor portraying them did a great job. However, they mentioned, “I have dark hair, though.” The note ended on a chilling joke, “Hope to see more on screen, should ask for some money haha.”
Whether it was a prank or something more sinister, the letter added another unsettling twist to the film’s history. Even after all these years, the ‘Saw‘ franchise remains one of horror’s biggest successes.
