The new Chris Rock-starring Saw reboot, Spiral: From The Book Of Saw, is finally due out in UK cinemas today (May 17).

The film acts as a reboot of the long-running horror franchise and focuses on three New York City cops – played by Rock, Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella – as they investigate a series of grisly murders that have echoes of the city’s past.

• READ MORE: ‘Spiral: From The Book Of Saw’ review: Chris Rock reboot gets caught in its own trap

Director Darren Lynn Bousman and some of the film’s cast have now opened up to NME about how Spiral connects to the wider Saw universe, revealing it is very much a “standalone” outing.

“Spiral is not a sequel, it’s not a remake, it is not a reimagining,” he explained. “It is a standalone movie that exists in the Saw universe. So what that means is that Saw one through eight are real, they happened, and this movie takes place in that universe, but it is its own storyline. It’s not connected necessarily to the previous eight films.”

He added: “The Saw films have become very dense, very mythology heavy. They’re so interconnected and interwoven that if you miss one of them, you’re kind of thrown out because of all the flashbacks and flashforwards. This movie kind of resets everything.

“It is much more comedic than previous films in the way that it’s not a comedy by any sense of the word, because it’s dark, it’s depressing, there’s violence galore. But we allow there to be a little levity, which we never had before in any Saw film.”

Marisol Nichols, who plays Captain Angie Garza, went on to explain how Spiral evolves the franchise, saying: “The Saw universe is famous for specifics like traps and Jigsaw and all of that amazing fun stuff. This is sort of the next chapter in that universe.

“So its evolved into this thing where Chris Rock put his own stamp on it and creativity on it, and Sam Jackson came to play, and Max Minghella came to play. It’s a really fun, interesting and dark take on the Saw universe. But a new chapter in itself.”

Minghella also praised the “merging” of Rock’s talent and the Saw universe and the detective feel of the film, while Nichols described Spiral as a “suspenseful thriller” as she compared it to David Fincher’s Se7en.

“It’s a whodunnit, who killed. We’re still in that Saw universe, we pay homage to it. You’ve still got the Saw traps and all that fun stuff. But Chris is sprinkling in a humour and a lightness and a great soundtrack and a really great cast. It’s really fun to see this new chapter, and whether you’re a Saw fan or not, you’re gonna like this movie.”