A ‘Breaking Bad’ Spin-Off — ‘Better Call Saul’ — May Really, Really Happen. Maybe.

Last July, during press rounds for the fifth season of Breaking Bad, Vince Gilligan mentioned the possibility that he might, maybe, sort of possibly be interested in a Breaking Bad spin-off centered around their weasely lawyer, Bob Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman. “I think a Saul Goodman show could have great legs,” he told EW. “I love the idea of a lawyer who will do anything to avoid going to court. He’s always going to settle on the courthouse steps.” In November, after the fifth season had wrapped, Bob Odenkirk also noted that he’d be open to the possibility of doing such a show.

So, basically, you got one guy interested in maybe doing a spin-off, and another guy maybe interested in starring in it. Now, along comes Deadline, which “hears” that such a project is in its “nascent stages,” although it’s hard to know if “nascent stages” means that its further along than when it was mentioned as a possibility last year, or if Deadline is just re-introducing an old story on a slow news day. They do add, however, that the show would come from Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the guy who created Saul Goodman (another obvious point) and that both hour-long and half-hour formats are being considered (also obvious).

Gilligan also said last year that no one should consider Saul Goodman to be safe, although if he dies by the end of Breaking Bad, there is the possibility of a prequel. I would not, however, expect any kind of backdoor pilot. I also know for a fact that Deadline often does favors for studios, networks, etc., by floating rumors to see how the Internet responds (see, e.g., all those rumors about shows like Jericho and The River being resurrected by Netflix). So, grain of salt, people. Grain of salt.

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