Chris Rock Has Given A Hint On How His ‘Saw’ Reboot Will Differ From The Original

2020 might be the year of Chris Rock, and we just don’t know it yet. His FX Fargo crime boss received a trailer debut that showcases his headlining turn in the series, and at the TCAs this week, he also discussed (with IGN) how his upcoming Saw reboot will differ from the James Wan-directed original movie. (Side note: It is still wild that Wan’s career has subsequently grown so multifaceted, what with Aquaman and Furious 7 in addition to The Conjuring universe.)

Well, for one thing, the original movie didn’t have Samuel L. Jackson hot-dropping “motherf*ker” into scenes, which is something to look forward to watching. For another, Rock reveals that his Saw will be infused with some humor. It sounds like a tricky balance to achieve, given the graphically gory subject matter, but Rock’s really into this:

“I love Saw, but I was like ‘wow, it has almost no humor at all.’ So, it seemed like a good place … good fertile ground … by the way, the new Saw, I’ve seen like a rough cut. It’s still Saw … it’s bloody, it’s gory, but there’s like a sprinkling of humor here and there. We’re not revamping it, it’s not Scary Movie, it’s Saw.”

Rock added that he often watches films or TV shows and reflects upon how maybe “two jokes” would have reflected “a big difference” in how the material was received. Given his extensive comedic background and the fact that he made a subversively endearing romcom with 2014’s Top Five, I’m inclined to trust that he can make Saw slightly funny without veering into parody-land. We’ll find out whether Rock succeeds when his Saw lands on May 15, 2020 (after he officially makes his Fargo debut on April 19).