Why Vince Gilligan Resisted Pressure For More Breaking Bad Spinoffs

by

The hit TV show Breaking Bad launched a franchise including the series Better Call Saul and the movie El Camino. However, creator Vince Gilligan chose not to create any further spinoffs. Breaking Bad, which premiered in 2008 and ran for five seasons, is widely considered one of the greatest TV shows ever made, earning a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite requests to continue the story after the popular shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Vince Gilligan decided against expanding the franchise.

The creator of the new Apple TV show Pluribus recently told NME that Sony asked him about potential future stories set in the Breaking Bad world after Better Call Saul ended.

Rather than give in to the demands, Gilligan advised the studio executives to step away from that particular world for a bit and focus on new projects.

He’s now working on Pluribus, a new series starring Rhea Seehorn (known for her role as Kim Wexler in Better Call Saul), after wanting to move beyond projects related to Breaking Bad. Pluribus, which streams on Apple TV+, is set in a world where a virus has made everyone constantly happy. But Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, a character who mysteriously isn’t affected by the virus.

Gilligan confessed that leaving the Breaking Bad world was frightening, and he still feels that way now. You can find more of his thoughts below.

People kept asking me what I’d do next after Breaking Bad, and honestly, I felt like we all needed a breather. I really wanted to explore if I had other stories to tell that audiences would connect with. It was—and still is—a bit terrifying to step away from something so successful and try something new. It’s a scary leap of faith, wondering if people will like what comes next.

Breaking Bad was both critically acclaimed and a popular show with audiences. It also received numerous awards, including recognition for its lead actor Bryan Cranston, supporting actors Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn, and as an outstanding drama series overall.

It was only a matter of time before a spin-off series was created. Better Call Saul premiered two years after Breaking Bad ended, and it centered around the character of Jimmy McGill, also known as Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk. The show was a prequel, meaning it took place before the events of Breaking Bad, and it included nods to the original series along with appearances by familiar actors.

Surprisingly, Better Call Saul actually has a higher Rotten Tomatoes score than the original Breaking Bad, earning a 98% rating. Despite this critical acclaim, the show never managed to win an Emmy Award, even though it was nominated more than 50 times.

Halfway through the six seasons of Better Call Saul, Netflix released a film, El Camino, that followed Jesse Pinkman’s story after the end of Breaking Bad. While it was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding TV Movie, it didn’t win, losing to Bad Education.

Although Better Call Saul finished in 2020, people are still very interested in the world of Breaking Bad, and creator Vince Gilligan is constantly asked about future installments. Giancarlo Esposito, known for his role as Gus Fring in both shows, has expressed his desire to lead a spinoff series focused on his character.

Right now, Gilligan wasn’t planning any new projects. But if he ever develops an idea for a show or movie, Sony would almost certainly approve it, and both fans and critics would be excited to see what he creates in the world of Breaking Bad.

Read More

2025-10-30 02:11