Breaking Bad fans have been eager to hear more details about AMC's upcoming movie that we'd been led to believe would detail Jesse Pinkman's life following the events of the series' finale. Well, this latest Breaking Bad news potentially calls into question everything we've heard to this point, as Aaron Paul apparently hasn't even been signed on yet. The actor revealed as much during a recent Q&A, saying:
Rumors are funny — I once heard a rumor that I was being cast as Han Solo. I haven’t heard anything about the Breaking Bad movie, but if there is one and it comes together, I’d love to be a part of it.
Is Aaron Paul trolling the world, or is he legitimately serious about not having already been approached about returning for the Breaking Bad film? If he IS being serious, then what was all the talk about that Greenbrier project that was planned to have finished its New Mexico production by now? If that news wasn't on the money, or if the Breaking Bad movie hasn't even begun filming yet, then fans may have a longer wait than expected before it's ready to air.
Another question: Is it possible that Vince Gilligan crafted a movie about Jesse Pinkman without actually including Jesse Pinkman? The Breaking Bad creator is known for his creative storytelling, and few could've predicted multiple acclaimed seasons would come out of a spinoff featuring Bob Odenkirk's shyster lawyer side character. A movie about Jesse as told through the eyes of other characters would be a bold choice, but something Gilligan could potentially pull off.
Fans probably wouldn't be overly thrilled by that, of course, so it's more likely that the project really hasn't reached the casting point of the movie's development process, or that Aaron Paul is involved and having some fun at Variety's event. If, by some strange miracle, Paul isn't the star, it's not due to his lack of interest. Paul confirmed he's still down to play Jesse Pinkman, and wouldn't know another way a sequel film would happen without his character.
In case you haven’t caught up on the TV series, Walter dies, so….it has to star Jesse.
Bryan Cranston may dispute that Walter death as "fact," but few would likely deny that a Breaking Bad sequel should be told from Jesse's perspective. Vince Gilligan himself probably agrees, considering his soft spot for the character, and he's mused before about what may have happened to Jesse after Breaking Bad ended. Basically, he either hit the road and possibly had to face his demons down the stretch, or he was picked up by cops shortly after he escaped.
OR, maybe Jesse is living it up in some small town and loving his new meth-free life. His only fear may be Walt's judgmental spectre constantly following him around, saying nothing but his name over and over again. Maybe a little something like this:
Those potential scenarios and more are part of what makes a movie about the story of Jesse Pinkman so interesting, as fans have long wanted answers from some kind of Breaking Bad follow-up. In a world where Walter White is dead and Saul is living incognito, Jesse is one of the major puzzle pieces whose fate was left uncertain following the end.
For those that don't remember, Jesse had been held captive by Todd and the other white supremacists, and was forced to make meth. Todd tortured Jesse, and even went so far as to kill his one-time girlfriend Andrea as he watched. Jesse eventually overpowered and killed Todd, making his big escape following a brief reunion with Walt. There's a possibility he's doing alright out there, but it wouldn't be surprising to learn he has some massive emotional scars from all he experienced.
There's been talk of seeing Jesse Pinkman again for years, although many believed the character would pop up in some way on Better Call Saul. Though he hadn't ever mentioned a movie specifically, Aaron Paul did say in the past that if Jesse were to appear in the show's universe again, it would be for a good reason.
Hopefully I will be involved. But I don’t know when that may be. I’m not going to say anything more. But I’m absolutely open to the idea. Hopefully it happens. I’m all about it. If I were to be involved, I can promise that it would be done in the most beautiful way, because there’s no way they’re going to bring Jesse Pinkman back just to bring him back. They’re going to bring him back and the audience is going to be very excited not just to see him, but to see how it all unfolded.
Breaking Bad fans probably shouldn't be alarmed by Aaron Paul's most recent comments, as there's still a 95% chance he will be involved with whatever movie gets released. With that said, though, there are some other living characters in the show universe that the film could also check up on. So let's take a look at some of those key players.
The White Family
Breaking Bad fans got a bit of an update on what's happening with Skyler and the kids in the finale, but it would be intriguing to see how their lives have changed in the days and years after Walter's death. Would Jesse see them on the news? Would he attempt to reach out to Skyler or Walt Jr.?
Skinny Pete and Badger
In all honesty, Jesse's goofy friends were about the closest thing he had to family throughout the length of the series, and they were always there for him through good times and bad. It's hard to believe they wouldn't try to help Jesse in whatever way they could if he came knocking, so the odds are pretty high that he called on them after escaping.
Vengeful Criminals
Though the threat of Todd's neo-Nazi uncle and his crew seemed to be vanquished, there are still tons of bad guys out there looking for answers about why the meth industry took a nosedive. Those folks could be out angrily looking for Jesse, hoping to snatch up the "golden goose" of cooking the pure meth that made the show's kingpins so rich and powerful.
Saul / Jimmy / Gene
Though he goes by "Gene" these days, Saul Goodman is out there in the Breaking Bad universe and could potentially cross paths with Jesse in the future. How that would happen, we're not exactly sure, but with Saul shrinking its timeline gap with Breaking Bad with each passing season, a Jesse Pinkman movie could lay the groundwork for yet another spinoff in which Saul and Jesse reunite in the present.
CinemaBlend will continue to update fans on the latest news from the Breaking Bad movie, as well as other exciting shows currently in development or headed to television. For more on the movie, be sure to check up on our "What We Know So Far" article that details all the information on the project.
