The first Saw film caught people off guard. Some people thought the acting was atrocious despite a cast that included Cary Elwes and Danny Glover, but the ideas were interesting enough. Nobody was surprised when the box office garnered enough of a return for a sequel to be green lit.

The second film featured a less impressive cast, but again, the box office numbers were there (and frankly I thought it was a better film than the first) so news of another sequel quickly followed.

This year marks the third sequential year that Halloween has involved a Saw movie, something that Saw III is marketing (“If it’s Halloween, it must be Saw). However Lionsgate has changed something about the formula this year: they are starting work on the potential sequel before the latest chapter hits theaters.

According to Bloody Disgusting, confirmation has been received that several writers have already been tapped to write Saw 4 if the current sequel performs well in its opening weekend. Additionally, the rumored joke is that Tobin Bell, who plays the series big-bad Jigsaw, is contracted for a total of five sequels.

Why stop with five though? Why not go for a decade of “Halloween means Saw?” So far the franchise certainly seems to be able to handle it and there’s little doubt that Saw III, which has the biggest screen opening for its weekend, will be able to keep the Saw momentum spinning.

I guess we’ll wait for official word from Lionsgate in a little over a week, but Saw 4 seems like sure thing.