The Incredible Journey of Breaking Bad's Potential Spinoff: Mastering the Art of Avoiding Recasting Issues, Just as Better Call Saul Did

The potential issue that a Breaking Bad spinoff is likely to face, which Better Call Saul successfully avoided, is the need to recast characters. Following the conclusion of the original series in 2013, showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould promptly proceeded with the creation of a prequel series centered around Saul Goodman. With 11 seasons of television and one movie already released, the Breaking Bad universe appears to be on hold for the time being, leaving fans speculating about what the next project may entail.

Following the events depicted in Breaking Bad, there are not many characters left alive within the Albuquerque, New Mexico crime world. In Better Call Saul, several original characters also met untimely fates or had their narratives neatly wrapped up. Consequently, the only viable approach for additional Breaking Bad shows would be to further explore the backstories of characters through additional prequel spinoffs.

A Gus Fring Prequel Would Need To Recast (When Better Call Saul Didn't)

Gus Fring is the most likely subject for the next Breaking Bad spinoff, given his intriguing character that has been explored in Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and flashbacks. However, his personal life and backstory have rarely been shown, adding to the mystery surrounding him. The main challenge for a Gus Fring prequel would be the age of actor Giancarlo Esposito, who has become iconic in the role. While Better Call Saul managed to work around this issue by being set only six years before Breaking Bad, a prequel set in the 1990s would be less believable with a 65-year-old Esposito. Recasting the role would solve this problem but could introduce difficulty in accepting another actor in such an iconic role, especially as Esposito portrayed him in over 50 episodes across two shows.

Would A Gus Fring Prequel Work (With Or Without Recasting)?

Building new characters in the Breaking Bad universe would be a better approach for those yearning for more content. Recasting an iconic character like Gus Fring is always difficult, and trying to present a younger version of Gus with Giancarlo Esposito would also be a tough sell. Moreover, a significant portion of Gus' appeal stems from his enigmatic personality. If his character were explored too extensively and sympathy were built for him, similar to how Better Call Saul does with Jimmy, it could detract from the sense of mystery that makes him so menacing. Hence, it would be more beneficial for a future series to focus on the introduction of fresh characters within this universe.