With the epic conclusion of Better Call Saul scheduled to air/stream in just a few days, many are wondering what’s next for series co-creator Vince Gilligan. But fear not. According to Deadline, there’s already a “wholly original idea” in development.
The expectations are high considering the calibre of television the man has produced between the Bob Odenkirk-led spin-off and the S-tier crime drama Breaking Bad. Although some may be a little disappointed to hear this new series won’t resemble anything Vince Gilligan has produced in recent years.
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“I hear the new project, which comes from Sony Pictures TV where Gilligan has been under an overall deal for a long time, is a departure from the world of drugs and crime he explored in Breaking Bad and its prequel Better Call Saul,” writes Nellie Andreeva of Deadline.
“Word is that the new show harkens back to Gilligan’s tenure on The X-Files. But don’t expect a sci-fi drama — when he was a writer-producer on The X-Files, Gilligan was known for focusing more on the human condition in his episodes, which is something he is said to also be doing in his new series, exploring similar themes of bending reality while holding a mirror to humanity.”
“It is said to be set in our world while putting a tweak on it, focusing on people and exploring the human condition in an unexpected, surprising way.”
The new series with Vince Gilligan at the helm has been described as a “blended, grounded genre drama,” that’s already drawing comparisons to The Twilight Zone; thought-provoking but not a morality tale. So… Black Mirror adjacent(?) A lot of comparisons, I know.
As for the matter of whether we can reasonably expect any follow-up content for the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe, it’s looking very unlikely.
“You can’t keep putting all your money on red 21,” Vince Gilligan previously said at the virtual TCAs.
“I feel like we probably pushed it by doing a spin-off to Breaking Bad [but] I could not be more happy with the results. Then I did El Camino and I’m very proud of that too.”
“But I think I’m starting to sense you’ve got to know when to leave the party, you don’t want to be the guy with a lampshade on your head.”
While Gilligan noted there are zero additional spin-offs and franchise continuations at this stage, he would also admit: “I probably gave the same answer at the end of Breaking Bad.”
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Better Call Saul Co-Creator Peter Gould has echoed Gilligan’s sentiments, the former also stating his desire to explore new territory. Gould did, however, offer the following glimmer of hope.
“I love Albuquerque. I love Bob [Odenkirk], I love Rhea Seehorn, I love Vince, love the whole group so we’ll keep as much of the band together as we can and also, never say never, who knows how we’re going to feel in a couple of years.”
The series finale of Better Call Saul hits airways/streaming queues on August 15th (next week). Keep your eyes peeled for the new series from Vince Gilligan in the coming years.
