“Breaking Bad” broke television programming with its willingness to take the story of a cancer-struck high school chemistry teacher turning to meth fabrication to insure his family’s future to its logical conclusion. But it seems that Vince Gilligan is not finished with his creation as news surfaced late last year that a “Breaking Bad” movie was in the works, and – more recently – Netflix and AMC will be airing the upcoming film.
If you’re a fan of “Breaking Bad,” you’re probably asking a lot of questions about how exactly anyone involved with the upcoming movie will get around the original series’ success. We’re not so optimistic either and we’ve laid out the reasons for our doubts about the upcoming movie’s success below.
The “Breaking Bad” movie might be a sequel
Current rumors about the upcoming “Breaking Bad” movie mentions the skeleton plot about a kidnapped man gaining his freedom. Deadline speculates that this loose description of the plot could refer to direct events after the fateful shootout at Jack’s compound.
This is troubling considering that there aren’t that many characters that have added flavor to “Breaking Bad” who have already met their poetic ends by the end of the series. How exactly a feature film will be able to capture the character development that endeared so many of “Breaking Bad’s” protagonists and antagonists to viewers – so close to one of the best series finales in television programming – is a hazy puzzle in its current state.
“Breaking Bad’s” upcoming movie potentially jumping off from where the original show left off has some pretty big shoes to fill. Which brings us to our next point about our confidence in a solo Aaron Paul “Breaking Bad” feature film.
Aaron Paul’s movie credits haven’t exactly been A-list since “Breaking Bad”
As much as we loved Aaron Paul’s stint as Walter White’s (Bryan Cranston) sidekick, the possibility that the upcoming “Breaking Bad” movie might solely focus on him has us worried. Specifically because of
Aaron Paul’s filmography after post-AMC programming.
Aaron Paul’s “Need for Speed” was the creative B-movie to the “Fast and Furious” series of movies – a film that simply leaned on Paul’s bad boy image a little harder than was possible. His forays into other genres – such as his 2018 drama/thriller “Welcome Home” – isn’t any better than the creative flop that “Need for Speed” was.
While Aaron Paul does have notable films that break away from his usual type – like the positively received political thriller “Eye in the Sky” with Helen Mirren and the late Alan Rickman – he isn’t usually the one carrying the movie’s gravitas. At least not yet.
The Cranston-Paul chemistry might not make a comeback in the “Breaking Bad” movie
An undeniable factor in “Breaking Bad’s” success was the twisted surrogate father-son-business partner relationship between Bryan Cranston’s Walter White and Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman. Reviving that great chemistry between Cranston and Paul from the first show may not be the best decision for a sequel to draw in dedicated fans.
Forcing Bryan Cranston’s return as Walter White already seems improbable considering that White’s demise at the end of the series seems to be a fitting end to his villainous journey. Bringing back Cranston to reprise his role would only turn Walter White into a caricature of a character rather than the cautionary tale of pride and greed that he was in the original show.
This makes us wonder about whom exactly Aaron Paul will be able to bounce his energy with in the upcoming “Breaking Bad” movie. Jesse Pinkman no longer has any father figures to run to and we’re not sure we’d be all that interested in watching him act significantly more competent than when he last left us.
So what can we expect?
Vince Gilligan does have a great track record of creating great television programming with acclaimed titles such as “The X-Files” and “Breaking Bad’s” own prequel series, “Better Call Saul.” The latter has – at times – even been praised as better than Gilligan’s original show despite not reaching the same critical mass with an audience. Gilligan’s tenure as writer, producer, and director is an assurance that the upcoming movie isn’t sure to crash and burn.
In addition to Gilligan’s body of work, Aaron Paul’s own acting chops do leave some hope that the “Breaking Bad” movie will be able to hold its own with only one half of the show’s iconic duo. If Aaron Paul’s “Westworld” season 3 appearance comes sooner than the “Breaking Bad” movie, there’s a good chance that his fans will be able to see how much he has improved his craft.
Until more details about the movie is released, fans shouldn’t be too excited about the upcoming “Breaking Bad” movie yet. Not while it’s currently plugging holes left behind by the series’ own successes.
