Exclusive: Chris Rock talks Spiral and compares Saw film to a Bloody Law & Order Episode

Coming out this week from Lionsgate is the much-anticipated film Spiral: From the Book of Saw, starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. Spiral hits theaters on May 14, 2021

In the latest chapter of the Saw franchise, Rock stars as Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks, a brash detective working in the shadow of his esteemed police veteran father (Jackson) and must take charge of a grisly investigation into a series of murders eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past alongside his rookie partner William Schenk (Max Minghella).

Alongside Rock, who wrote the story treatment for the film, Jackson and Minghella, the cast for the film includes Marisol Nichols (Riverdale, 24) as Captain Angie Garza, Banks’ boss, Zoie Palmer, Daniel Petronijevic, Richard Zeppieri, Ali Johnson, K.C. Collins, and Edie Inksetter. Spiral is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, who helmed Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV of the Saw franchise.

The film is produced by longtime Saw producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules – who are back once again to shepherd this re-imagining. The screenplay is based on a story conceived by Rock and written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, who made their franchise debut with the 2017 revival Jigsaw. The film is executive produced by Chris Rock, long-time Saw executive producer Daniel Heffner and the original creators of Saw, James Wan and Leigh Whannell.

For Rock, this is a new territory for the gifted comedian. Having starred in films and comedy shows, Rock has stared to reinvent himself in other areas as he recently starred in a dramatic role for the fourth season of FX’s Fargo. Now, he’s taking on the horror genre with Spiral, but he also gets to add in his flavor as well. BlackFilmandTV.com’s Wilson Morales spoke with Rock on he chose Spiral and what he hopes to add to the genre.