What's Halloween in the 00's without a new Saw to dissect? We've received word from Lionsgate that Meagan Good will be featured in a supporting role in the upcoming Saw V as Luba, "a city planner who comes from a very wealthy family." That is good news indeed (sorry, couldn't resist ) for fans of the very attractive Ms. Good. I noticed her when she appeared as a tattoo artist in Biker Boyz five years ago, but she first made an impression in Eve's Bayou in 1997. Recently she's had substantial parts in Waist Deep and Stomp the Yard. As far as her horror credentials, she was all too briefly in One Missed Call -- I was disappointed she didn't survive her big dramatic moment -- and was also in the little seen Venom.

Monika told us last month that Julie Benz was cast in a starring role as a proper and elegant Brit, so it sounds like Jigsaw is planning to bring justice to the upper crust in this edition. That might help answer the question: Where do you go with a horror sequel when the arch-villain has already been sliced open on an autopsy table? If you caught Saw IV, you know that screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan came up with a solution to that quandary. I wasn't entirely convinced, and the story as a whole felt too schematic and perfunctory to be fully satisfying, but I remain eternally optimistic. David Hackl is directing from a script by Melton and Dunstan. Saw V is set to open on October 24.

Just in case dating a serial killer and hanging out with Rambo wasn't enough horror for Julie Benz, The Hollywood Reporter posts that she's got herself a starring role in the next Saw movie -- Saw V. The film, which is currently filming in Toronto, is being directed by David Hackl, from a script by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan (as Scott mentioned back in February). Tobin Bell is returning as Jigsaw, but this latest victim isn't quite to his liking. As THR describes it: "Benz has been cast as a Brit with clothes and hair too proper and elegant to be a pawn in Jigsaw's latest games."

Well, at least she gets to be elegant. But really, when I see an actor like Benz who could be great on one show (or two, as in Buffy and Angel), top it off with a pretty notable gig on Dexter, but fill in the blanks with eh roles, I wonder if the real magic was just contained within one show or role. (The same could be said for Alyson Hannigan and her drama talents.) Is it just too hard to find a role similar to a snarky, strong, and in-control vampire woman? Benz can play a weak or troubled woman well, but she's at her best when she can command the screen and show her edge.

It's great that she's getting work; I just wish it was work that showed off more of what she can do, in roles that would give her some genre-free cred. At the very least, maybe she'll give Jigsaw a run for his money, even in fancy garb.

Saw V will be released on October 24.

If it's Halloween, it must be Saw. And it is. So it must be. Cinematical attended a press junket this week for Saw IV. It consisted of three interviews, with reporters from various outlets throwing out questions. The first was with Jigsaw himself, Tobin Bell (phoning in because he lives in Malibu, so wish him and his family well). The second was with Lyriq Bent (Rigg), Scott Patterson (Agent Strahm), and franchise producer Mark Burg. The third was with Costas Mandylor (Hoffman), Betsy Russell (Jill -- Mrs. Jigsaw), and franchise producer Oren Koules. Lionsgate hadn't screened the movie for critics (or even the actors!) as of this junket, as the representatives are extremely secretive about its plot, particularly a final twist. All we know is, despite having seemingly died at the end of Saw III, Jigsaw is back. Oh yes, and we know that there will be blood. Lotsa blood. We discussed what makes the franchise so popular, the phrase "torture porn," and the future of the Saw series.

Can you tell us what attracted you to the role yet again?

Tobin Bell: He's a big character. There could be nothing better for an actor than to have an opportunity to play a role where the character is sort of a multi-faceted guy. I mean, he is a scientist and a very well read guy and a man of conviction and passionate about what he does. There is something Shakespearean about him in a way. And there is a lot more story to be told. I feel like the Saw story doesn't play out in a linear way. It doesn't happen in sequence, necessarily. Whenever you have the opportunity to develop a guy like this, it's a blessing. It's what actors become actors for.

It's interesting to hear you talk about the thought process that goes into creating his back-story. Because if you ask an audience after they see a Saw film, they were there for the gore. They want to see someone's guts spill out on the floor. Are you rationalizing the character for yourself? Or do you really care about the characters in these films?

TB: I think that anybody who goes to one of these films wants to care about the characters. I think you can accomplish the same thing in the horror genre that you can accomplish in any other genre, whether it's a period piece, or a romantic comedy. I think there is an opportunity in a drama of any kind for the viewer to get involved with the characters. If you sell out completely on that, and I think that is what the horror genre has done for many years, people will not think of it very highly as a genre. Many genre films of the fifties and sixties were interested in the special effects, or interested in the scare factor, or the sci-fi factor. Jacob's Ladder is a very smart, well-crafted script. It is very scary. The Dead Zone with Christopher Walken. On its face, you have a man that looks at things and lights them on fire with his eyes. Look at the film. Christopher Walken draws you in. He makes you care about him. That's what makes the film work.

The "torture porn" genre may be on its way out, but don't tell that to the Saw folks who are already making plans to extend their horror franchise to at least six. Bloody Disgusting has received word that David Hackl has been handed the directorial torch for Saw V and Saw VI, replacing Darren Lynn Bousman ( who's currently finishing up a stint as director on back-to-back-to-back Saw flicks). Hackl was the production designer on Saw II, Saw III and Saw IV, as well as second unit director on Saw II and Saw IV. He was also in the running at one point to helm Saw IV until Bousman decided to give it another go. I'd say he's the right man for the job -- then again, I stopped watching this series after the first installment because, as my friends say, I'm a word that rhymes with schmussy.

It will be interesting to see how well Saw IV does at the box office when it arrives on October 26. While the horror franchise definitely carries a massive fanbase, audiences have made it clear that this whole torture shtick has run its course. We'll also have to wait and see whether the film leaks online, and if that damages its overall box office take. As with most sequels, additional Saw installments are not guaranteed; if Saw IV should fail to hit a certain mark, I imagine the boys will cash in their chips and congratulate one another on a highly-successful run. The decision will have to come quick, though, as Hackl and his team will have to begin work immediately on Saw V in order to have it completed by the following Halloween. Does there come a point when enough is enough? Would you Saw fanatics keep watching through part six, or do you lose interest after awhile?

When you're compelled (by money and ravenous fans) to churn out another Saw movie every single year, you don't have much time to a) write a script, b) hire actors and c) keep everything a big fat secret. Case in point: It's been widely mumbled that David Hackl (production designer on Saw 2 and Saw 3) would be the one settling into the director's chair for Saw 4, and that seems a pretty good move: Get some fresh blood in there, but have it come from someone already inside the Saw family. (Plus it's probably pretty difficult to get an established director who can take a gig and start shooting "like, next month?")

And now comes additional news. IGN Movies is reporting that Ja Rule will appear in Saw 4, but only in the first scene. (And we all know what that means!) Additionally, some guy who allegedly read the Saw 4 script (which we believe was written by Feast scribes Marcus Dunston and Tom Fenton) claims that Angus MacFadyen's character plays an important role -- but Angus Mac hasn't technically signed on for the sequel at this time.

Looks like production is scheduled to begin next month in Toronto, so we should have a lot more information within the next few weeks. In the meantime we can all sit down and enjoy our Saw 3 Unrated Version DVDs, a platter that's presently poised atop the DVD sales AND rental charts. (Interesting note: Not only was Saw 3 the top-selling DVD last week, but its arrival gave Saw and Saw 2 fresh life; they're both back on the Top 20 sales chart this week!)