The general idea behind Better Call Saul is that it takes place before Breaking Bad and couldn’t feature many of the characters from the show that we grew to love. Jesse Pinkman in his early form could make an appearance, but not with a huge impact, and it’s very possible we could end up seeing many of the supporting characters pop their head in. But the idea of Walter White and family making an appearance is a stretch.
But that’s not stopping many from dreaming and isn’t stopping Bryan Cranston was staying positive. If the phone rang and there was a way to do it, he’d play Walter White again in a heartbeat:
“I owe Vince Gilligan so much. He was my champion to get this role. I was the guy coming off Malcolm in the Middle…
“‘If they were to call me and say, ‘We have this idea, we’d like … ,’ I would say, ‘Yes, you don’t have to finish the pitch. I’m there, what do you want me to do?'”
Now don’t expect “stunt casting” or some cheap appearance. Gilligan would likely have a plan in place for any Walter White appearances, but he’d be far from “the one who knocks” that people fell in love with by the end of the series. It’d likely be the lowly teacher without the cancer diagnosis and without the thirst for power.
Luckily, that’s the only way he could be involved with Better Call Saul. There’s a catch there too, which is understandable if you’re a fan of the show:
“I’m a fan of the show and in order to direct, I need to know what no fan knows … and there’s a part of me that says that would kind of kill it for me as a fan to peek behind the curtain, so I don’t know if I am or not.”
No one would want to spoil a show for themselves in this day and age. Cranston has the behind-the-scenes experience, so his aversion to the directing experience is understandable. Someone like me would jump at the chance, though. Only problem is I’d lose out to Jonathan Frakes and his fantastic beard. He’s damn good.
