Just by reading the comments, I think a lot of people have grown tired of the SAW franchise. The first one was brilliant, yes, the second was decent, the third was cool, the fourth was OK, and I haven't seen 5. A lot of people didn't like the sequels and didn't see this one, or plan to see it on DVD. This could affect future sequels, though, but the next would have to make less money. However, if HSM3 was #1 — that's understandable because it seems that nearly every teenage girl is in love with the series and Zac Efron.

I think that HSM's success is a huge leap forward for cinema. Has there ever been a franchise start out direct to tv/dvd and then go theatrical? If there has been, did it open at number one?

They may not be the best movies ever created but to spin out movies of a decent quality every single year is outstanding...Also, people complain about all the remakes getting made but then put down an original franchise bringing out original sequels every year...I'd rather see more SAW's than more One Missed Call's...I wasn't expecting this movie to make $30 mil either due to bad reviews and all the bad comments but it goes to show that the fans are still paying to see this every year and loving the tradition...I think this is amazing news so I will be looking forward to and paying to see SAW VI next year too...I think everybody knew HSM3 was going to take the top spot anyway, that was inevitable.

Well said AmandasEvolution. I too thought SAW V might make less, but it STILL managed to make as much as IV did last year on opening weekend, even though it wasn't number 1 this year. I TOO would much rather see another installment in the SAW franchise than a sequel to PROM NIHGT or ONE MISSED CALL. The SAW franchise is slowing down, but it's NOT dead yet.

I agree! As I've said before — I'd rather have a SAW 1455 than a SUSPIRIA, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, or any other movie remake.

I'd like to know what Leigh Whannell and James Wan think of Saw IV + V..

i haven't been a HUGE Saw fan since part 3, but i'm glad this movie, an R rated horror movie, did really well at the BO.

SAW 5 SUCKED MONKEY BALLS, YOU FUCKTARDS!!!! WTF is wrong with all of you???

Horror films don't ever make the same kind of money that big family friendly movies do, you CAN'T compare them. The only thing you CAN do is compare horror films to OTHER horror films. Check this out... Halloween 5 made, during it's ENTIRE theatrical run, $11,642,254. Friday the 13th part 5, during it's ENTIRE theatrical run, made $21,930,418. Nightmare on Elm Street 5, during it's ENTIRE theatrical run, made $22,168,359. And Saw 5 can make 14.1 million in ONLY ONE DAY?!?! Saw remains on course for being, easily, the most successful horror franchise of all time.

So this is going to be in the future? LAME ASS sequels or SHITTY ASS remakes? sorry, but we're fucked in the ass without lube if that's ahead of us genre fans.

Saw 5 was terrible. As I thought it would be.

justin warren, im sure it has nothing to do with the fact that people are paying $10 bucks a tick either right? compared to like $4 during those other movies. Friday the 13th remake released in October would of been HUGE, but Feb is a dead zone, its winter for fucking sakes, it's gonna bomb but that in no way shape or form makes Saw a better or more respected franchise by horror fans or movie fans in general.

HSM is a juggernaut and anyone who thought they could beat it at the box office with an R-rated film is a fool. I was surprised that Max Payne still held a spot in the top 5, I'm one of the few people who liked that movie. I'll probably hold off on SAW 5 until it comes out on DVD.

JustinWarren: For serious...ever hear of inflation?

While I agree that SAW V was no masterpiece, for a fifth entry in a series it was no embaressment either. Try not to forget how bad Friday 5, Halloween 5,and Nightmare 5 were.Some of you guys get all gooey and nostalgic for these movies.They weren't as good as the ones that preceeded them, and each series rebounded to some extent after the lackluster 5's. Saw may be getting stale, but it's still a vital, viable series.

Yeah JustinWarren posted the same thing on IMDB trying to make some big statement. Many of those old movies sold just as many tickets if not more than the Saw movies. The prices were lower though, so the gross wasn't as high.

SAW V opened on 600 fewer screens nationwide than HSM 3. That undoubtedly had a little to do with it coming in second. There's also the reality that a PG-rated, homogenized, sanitized, feel good "family" movie will always draw in a bigger share of the ticket-buying audience than an R-rated horror movie. Jasonlives1986, there is virtually no chance FRIDAY THE 13TH will bomb. Its production budget is comparable to that of SAW V ($10-15 mil), it will be opening on a Friday the 13th (and a big date weekend) against no real competition, its marketing campaign has been well received thus far, and (whether we like to admit it or not) the TCM remake's popularity with general audiences will help convince a lot of skeptical moviegoers that they're taking the material seriously this time. Barring some major weather emergency across a large section of the country that weekend, F13 will haul in between $20-35 mil in its opening weekend, and will likely surpass $100 mil once the final domestic and international tallies are in. If you need proof that F13 is likely going to score big, just consider the fact that Lionsgate passed up the chance to open MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D on Valentine's Day to avoid having to go toe-to-toe with Jason. And while I'm a bigger F13 fan than SAW fan, I disagree that opening the film this month, in competition with SAW V, would have been the wiser fiscal choice. The HALLOWEEN remake made big bucks by not challenging SAW, FREDDY VS. JASON scored big by not facing off with THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remake (and vice versa), etc. Though Feb may be a down month for movies, the absence of proven competition will make F13 seem even more attractive to the millions of moviegoers who do brave the cold.

jkrouskop, well said. i agree.

Even with inflation considered, those previous part 5's I mentioned wouldn't beat those numbers. Take this example: Right now, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com, the average ticket price is $7.08. Halloween 5 came out in 1989, when average tickets were $3.97. In it's opening WEEKEND, Halloween 5 made $5,093,428. Divide that by 3.97, and that means it sold 1,282,979 tickets that weekend. If we multiply that times the $7.08 of today, it's still only 9,083,493. Seriously guys, Saw wins.

I would like to say before any of you do that I', sure you'll think the number of $7.08 seems a little low, but that is the official number from what is pretty much THE official site to check. Here in Austin, I pay an average of about 8 bucks for a ticket.

I'm also not trying to bring anyone down who hates this series because I can completely understand ANYONE'S opinion of not liking the films. I'm just stating facts in numbers, and whether you're emotionally attached to the series or not, we should all be happy that ANY horror series can make so much money. BUT let's PLEASE get something truly brilliant and original, like REPO! a decent release for fuck's sake, PLEASE!

i thought saw v was good .i like the backstory they did on hoffman also there is still some ? that need answerd like what did jigsaw leave for his ex wife in the box .also how does jigsaw get all thoes files or pic of his vitcamns .

I like to believe that Strahm has survived the ending and that he is still alive and well .. Don't forget; *NOT ONLY* Tobin Bell and Costas Mandlor were signed on to do V and VI, *ALSO* Scott Patterson is ..

Look here; they showed his *ARM* get crushed, if it was his head or chest, I'd be 110% sure he was dead, but surviving with a broken arm is pretty realistic and by the time the walls closed in on him, the walls were blocking Hoffmans view... Yeahh, Mark *was looking after Strahm*, but NOT all the way, if you'd look closely, you'd notice that he turned his face away ... At the very end ... + I imagine Strahm's blood onto the glass box didn't help Mark' sview either. It would shock viewers, tie up loose ends, and pay homage to the first. .. The only thing I'm asking you guys to do, is to SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS ... That would be all ..

I keep reading things about what older movies made and seeing those dollars being compared to todays dollars. I read that the 1978 Halloween's $50 million translates ot $150 million today and the original FRIDAY THE 13th's $39 million is like $135- 140 million now. In the book Crystal Lake Memories, there is a break down of all the Fridays and other franchises and compares them. And by the way 14,778,00 people saw the original Friday in theaters. You do the math!!