Tobin Bell was aware of a possible cameo in Spiral: From the Book of Saw. Bell starred in James Wan's 2004 Saw as John Kramer, aka Jigsaw. Bell returned to the role for the next seven sequels and was last seen in 2017's Jigsaw. After a four-year hiatus, the Saw franchise returned this year with Chris Rock's Spiral, which acts as a soft reboot. The latest film ended on a cliffhanger, but it's unknown if Lionsgate has plans to make Spiral 2.
While Rock's film has distinct differences from the original movies, it is still considered a sequel. Spiral takes place in the same universe as Saw, but Bell doesn't return. John Kramer was mentioned in the movie as the detectives tracked a Jigsaw copycat, and his picture was even seen in the police station. Just recently, Spiral writer Josh Stolberg revealed that they considered bringing Bell back for a cameo, leaving the option open until the very last day of editing.
Bell still hasn't seen the latest Saw movie, but he was aware that a cameo was on the table. The veteran Saw actor praised Rock during an interview with Comicbook and explained why he thinks he didn't appear in Spiral. Most importantly, he doesn't seem to have any hard feelings about not appearing in the reboot. Bell's full comment addressing the cameo can be read below:
"I haven't gotten to see the film yet. And I was aware of that, but I think eventually they put their heads together and decided [not to do it]. Chris Rock is a very creative guy. So with Chris, maybe they felt like they just had enough. I don't know. I haven't seen the film, so I don't have an idea. But I can tell you that the creative minds behind Saw are not asleep. And, hopefully, we'll be able to move forward with something that's both refreshing and answers some questions that need answering. So I don't have anything I can say to you conclusively, but I can only tell you that I was aware of all of that. And I'm not surprised that it was going on."
Rather than just focusing on gore, Spiral was a more socially conscious film that delved into police corruption. While still having elements that made the Saw franchise popular, Rock went in a very different direction with his film. Because of this, it makes sense that Bell wasn't included in the movie. Even though each Saw sequel heavily revolved around the legacy of John Kramer, the character died at the end of Saw III. Giving Bell a cameo in Spiral would have been a fun surprise for long-time fans of the series. However, it really wouldn't have made sense.
The first Saw received positive reviews, yet all of the sequels failed to live up to the original. Many horror fans have had enough of the Saw movies, especially after Lionsgate again failed to deliver a worthwhile sequel with Jigsaw. Spiral took a fresh approach with the franchise but the film likely wouldn't have connected with audiences if they wouldn't have at least mentioned Kramer. At this point though, it's safe to say that Spiral proved that Saw doesn't need John Kramer anymore.
Source: Comicbook