Who directed the 2004 horror film Saw?

James Wan directed the 2004 horror film Saw.

Saw centers on two men who awaken chained inside a grimy bathroom and discover that a mysterious killer has placed them in a deadly test. Wan directed the film from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell, who also co-starred as Adam Stanheight.

The movie developed from a short-film concept and was produced on a comparatively modest budget. Its nonlinear structure, investigative framing, and emphasis on moral choices helped it become a major commercial success and launch a long-running franchise.

A common mix-up is crediting Whannell as director because he wrote the screenplay and played one of the central characters. Darren Lynn Bousman directed several later Saw films, beginning with Saw II in 2005. James Gunn is another horror filmmaker, but he was not involved as Saw’s director.