Vince Gilligan’s revelations about the Breaking Bad universe’s future make a lot of sense and reveal how the hit franchise is in safe hands.
Over a decade after its release, Breaking Bad is still touted as one of the best TV shows of all time. The series has rightfully earned the title, and even its spin-offs have not failed to disappoint so far. While 2019’s El Camino did a decent job of expanding Jesse Pinkman’s story, Better Call Saul proved to be an incredible masterclass in storytelling and cementing the franchise’s legacy.
Owing to the franchise’s consistent success, it is not surprising that viewers keep anticipating its next installment. Vince Gilligan has offered new insights into his vision for Breaking Bad‘s future, highlighting what else he wishes to achieve with the hit franchise.
Vince Gilligan Is Not Rushing For Another Breaking Bad Spinoff
During the promotion of his new Apple TV sci-fi show, Pluribus, Vince Gilligan revealed (via NME) that executives at Sony were eager to know how he would expand the Breaking Bad universe. Instead of giving them positive news, the showrunner said that they should take a break from Breaking Bad and maybe even move on to explore new stories.
Here’s his full statement:
They would say, ‘What do you think’s next in the Breaking Bad universe?’ I said, ‘Maybe we should take a break from it for a while. Maybe it’s time to move on…I wanted to see if I had any other stories in me that people would like. And it was scary. It is scary. It remains scary.
Vince Gilligan’s New Show Proves Another Breaking Bad Shouldn’t Be A Priority
Vince Gilligan’s new show, Pluribus, is scheduled to premiere on Apple TV on November 7, 2025. Since the show’s reviews are yet to come out, it remains unknown whether it will have the potential to be as brilliant and scalable as Breaking Bad. However, it is hard to deny that the Apple TV sci-fi show has an incredibly fascinating premise.
It centers on the most miserable person on Earth, Carol (Rhea Seehorn), who must save the world from happiness. As the story suggests, Pluribus might be the perfect combination of weirdness and existential depth, which are two storytelling tenets that have somehow become the primary markers of Apple TV’s most successful sci-fi shows, like Severance.
Pluribus may not become the next Breaking Bad, Severance, or even a massive cultural juggernaut. However, the novelty and ambition of its ideas alone are good reasons for it to exist. Instead of being another tiresome remake, reboot, or forced franchise extension, it is bringing something new to the table. Television, right now, needs exactly that.
TV Needs More Original Shows, Not Spinoffs
While Breaking Bad‘s spin-offs have been nothing but incredible, they only saw the light of day when they were clearly envisioned. If they were rushed solely to milk the popularity of their parent show, they likely would not have been half as successful. Many other franchises have fallen and diluted their own legacies after churning out unnecessary spin-offs.
Forced spin-offs ultimately benefit nobody because they confine the creative visions of filmmakers into little franchise boxes that only have limited scope for storytelling. Audiences, too, eventually grow tired of stories unfolding in the same universe. Owing to this, it is hard not to appreciate Vince Gilligan’s decision to step back from Breaking Bad and embrace his creative freedom with new shows.
