Saw: Cary Elwes Says “Never Say Never” About Reprising Dr. Gordon Role

Actor Cary Elwes recently said “never say never” when asked about the possibility of reprising his iconic role as Dr. Lawrence Gordon from the Saw franchise. Elwes first portrayed the doctor in the 2004 horror film, Saw, directed by James Wan. In the movie, Elwes’ character awakens in a dilapidated bathroom across from photographer Adam Stanheight (Leigh Whannell). After realizing the pair are victims of the infamous Jigsaw killer, Gordon quickly learns he must saw off his foot to free himself from his chains and kill Adam by six o’clock.

The 2004 film ends with Gordon crawling out of the bathroom to find help after sawing off his foot and shooting Adam with a revolver placed inside the room. While Elwes’ character was mentioned in future Saw installments, the actor didn’t fully reprise his role until 2010’s seventh entry in the series, Saw 3D. Serving as the franchise’s final installment (at the time), the film reveals that after escaping the bathroom trap, Elwes’ character is recruited by Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw character. The movie shows a montage revealing how Gordon helped Jigsaw not only create the sinister games but also helped pick out some of the victims. Jigsaw gives Gordon one final task at the end of the film, eliminate the serial killer’s rogue apprentice, Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). Gordon locks Hoffoman in the first film’s bathroom trap and tosses him the same saw he had to use to sever his own foot. Elwes’ character then closes the door and is never seen again.

Speaking to THR, Elwes says “never say never” when asked about reprising his role as Dr. Gordon from the Saw movies. While the actor is “open” to the filmmakers discussing a possible character revival, he feels they’ve “explored that character as far as it can go.” Elwes further explains that he feels the filmmakers “have run the full gamut of Dr. Gordon’s life.” Still, the actor is keeping an open mind to the possibility of a reprisal.

Elwes also explains in the interview the “great challenge” of creating the first Saw movie. The actor reveals that filming only lasted 18 days, and he was tasked with reciting “12 to 16 pages of dialogue a day.” Because the production was on a tight deadline, the actor says, “there were no chairs on set,” and the crew “never put the camera on a dolly or a tripod.” This allowed the camera crew to set up shots quickly by saying, “OK move the camera here and roll.”

Given the fact that Elwes’ character essentially vanishes from the setting, future movies in the franchise could further extend his story. After Saw 3D, the franchise would split off into 2017’s Jigsaw and 2021’s Spiral. With multiple paths open to explore in future installments, it isn’t out of the question to have Dr. Gordon pop up in one of the timelines. Still, nothing is set in stone as of this moment, which means fans can only theorize what happened to Elwes’ character after his final appearance in the Saw universe.

Source: THR

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John Deloss
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John Deloss is a freelance entertainment writer for Screen Rant, having just recently joined the team. A California State University, Fullerton graduate with a B.A. in English, John is an aspiring writer hungry to make a name for himself — emphasis on hungry. When he’s not behind a keyboard, you can find him out on the trail backpacking or at home brewing beer.

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