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Breaking Bad: Vince Gilligan Doesn't Want Walt Jr. as New Heisenberg

Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan made it clear that it "would be depressing as hell" to have Walt, Jr. as Heisenberg 2.0 in a new series.

Earlier this week, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan spoke with Variety on a number of subjects – less than a week after the tenth anniversary of the Breaking Bad series finale "Felina" (originally aired on September 29, 2013). Previously, Gilligan offered us a glimpse at the future with some more details on his upcoming sci-fi series for Apple TV+ starring Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul). But for this go around, Gilligan discusses his thoughts about the Breaking Bad finale and if he ever thinks about what happened to the characters after the final credits roll. And because it's a day ending in "Y," Gilligan also addresses whether or not he's really, really done with the Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul universe.

Gilligan explained that because of how well the characters were developed by the writers and actors such as RJ Mitte (Walt, Jr.) & Anna Gunn (Skyler), he finds himself "daydreaming about what would have happened to them." Though they clearly didn't end the series on high notes, Gilligan added that he would "like to believe things get better for them." But does that rise to the occasion that Gilligan would need for another return to the universe? No – at least not anytime soon.

"I'd hate the thought of Walt Jr. following in Walt's footsteps in the crime business. That's probably the kind of thing somebody will pitch 10 or 15 years from now — Walter Jr. as an Albuquerque crime lord succeeding where his father failed. I could pretty much guarantee right now that I have no interest in seeing that happen. That'd be a sad tribute to the show. It's fun thinking about what would happen to the characters, but it doesn't rise to the level of, 'Gee, I'd like to tell more about the story.' But who knows, in a few years, maybe," Gilligan explained. So no "Heisenberg 2.0"? "That is doubtful as hell. The only attractive thing about that idea is working with RJ Mitte again because he's a wonderful actor and sweet guy. But that would be depressing as hell. That would be the wrong lesson from the show if there are any lessons at all to be gleaned from it."

Of course, that leads to the question that Gilligan got a ton of times after Breaking Bad – and they returned when he and Gould wrapped Better Call Saul. Has Gilligan really said goodbye to that universe for good? "To be brutally honest, if I get my ass handed to me with this next show and the one after that, and nobody wants to see it, and everybody wants 'Breaking Bad,' who knows!" Gilligan explained. Maybe we'll see our way clearer to doing something in the future. But what I'd like to do is leave it be."

Gilligan continued, "It's the work of my lifetime — 'Breaking Bad' and 'Better Call Saul' — it'll be the first thing engraved on my tombstone, and I couldn't be more proud of it. And I kind of wonder if there are further stories to tell, but I don't want to beat a dead horse. I look around and see other storytelling worlds — I'm not going to name names — that feel like, 'Boy, they are really sucking that last dime out of that franchise.' I'd hate to see that happen with this. I'd rather err on the side of leaving the party too soon than too late. But never say never. That's just how I feel right now, but who knows down the line.

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