The Saw franchise features a large cast of characters created primarily by directors and screenwriters James Wan, Leigh Whannell, Darren Lynn Bousman, Patrick Melton, and Marcus Dunstan.

The films mainly focus on the character of John Kramer (Tobin Bell), the "Jigsaw Killer," who seeks out those he considers to be wasting their lives and subjects them to torturous and lethal traps, referred to as "tests" and "games," in an attempt to make them appreciate being alive.

The franchise consists of ten films: Saw (2004), Saw II (2005), Saw III (2006), Saw IV (2007), Saw V (2008), Saw VI (2009), Saw 3D (2010), Jigsaw (2017), Spiral (2021), and Saw X (2023).