By Chris Kavan - 02/25/20 at 08:02 PM CT
It's another quiet week for ratings updates with but a single wide release to talk about. At least the new entry looks intriguing - with Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson joining the Saw franchise in a continuation of the series with Spiral. Other than that, however the short list is full of the typical limited and streaming releases, but not other big, bombastic theatrical releases. Oh well, hopefully March roars in like a lion and I can hope for a more meaty update next week.
So, there is a lot of mystery surrounding Spiral, but considering the standout cast - besides Rock and Jackson, Riverdale's Marisol Nichols is on boards, along with Max Minghella, Zoie Palmer and K.C. Collins, Lionsgate is taking this project very seriously. It also helps that both James Wan and Leigh Whannell serve as executive producers. Spiral does not serve as a reboot - as it takes place in the same shared universe as the previous Saw films, but it is not a direct sequel to the last Saw film, Jigsaw. From what I can tell, Rock plays a seasoned cop who has learned under Samuel L. Jackson who takes on a new rookier partner (Minghella) when they become involved with a series of deaths that ties back to our friend who just wants to play a game (and dole out his own twisted brand of justice). From what I can gather, unlike many of the previous Saw films, none of the former survivors make an appearance (though they could be holding back for a surprise announcement) and it is also not clear when this story takes place (long after Jigsaw's death, apparently). Still, this buddy-cop meets twisted horror certainly has be intrigued. When Saw was good - it was actually one of the smarter horror franchises out there, though many of the sequels suffered from franchise fatigue by emphasizing the traps and gore over story and character. But, hey, if Rock is on board with trying something new and this turns out well - I don't know, I'm thinking Bad Boys vs. Jigsaw is definitely on the table. Rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, pervasive language, some sexual references and brief drug use.
There is your lone wide release for the week, but for those who are so inclined the full MPAA Ratings Bulletin can be found below:
2 HEARTS
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language. (Previous PG Ratings - Bulletin #2567 (2/27/2019) Voided. Only this edited version is rated.
CRIP CAMP
Rated R for some language including sexual references.
IRONBARK
Rated PG-13 for violence, partial nudity, brief strong language, and smoking throughout.
THE LUMBER BARON
Rated PG for some thematic elements and smoking.
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Rated PG-13 for disturbing/mature thematic content, language, some sexual references and teen drinking.
SPIRAL
Rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, pervasive language, some sexual references and brief drug use.
