Gus Fring Breaking Bad Prequel Show Gets Compelling Response From Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Esposito shares his thoughts on a potential Gus Fring Breaking Bad prequel show, pitching his idea for what the series could be about.
Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito responds to the possibility of a Gus Fring prequel show, sharing a compelling pitch. Bryan Cranston leads the Breaking Bad cast as Walter White, with a story that follows the character as he transforms from a high school chemistry teacher into a violent drug lord. Esposito joins the show, which was created by Vince Gilligan, in season 2, appearing as Walt’s boss and later adversary, Gustavo Fring. The character ultimately meets an explosive end in season 4, though he returns in prequel Better Call Saul.
During a recent segment for British GQ in which he answers questions from users on the Internet, Esposito replies to one user’s request for Breaking Bad prequel following Gus, expressing interest in the idea.
While it doesn’t sound like any such show is actually happening, Esposito shares how the backstory he created for Gus could be turned into its own show, which he pitches as “The Rise of Gus”. Check out his full comment below:
“Yeah, I would love that too. My backstory is he was a military guy who worked his way up through the ranks and could have become president, el jefe, el presidente, even possibly the dictator and have taken over. But he wanted to do something that could not be controlled by others, and he wanted to control his own destiny. And so he took off to create a new life for himself in America and become a meth dealer, a businessman.
“But I think, in his younger years, he was someone who could have been more Tony Montana. But he worked his way into becoming level enough to listen, hear, and see through his emotional state. We would hope that it might be The Rise of Gus.”
Does Breaking Bad Need A Gus Fring Prequel Show?
Why Giancarlo Esposito’s Character Is Best Left Unexplored
There was a certain sense of skepticism when it was announced that Bob Odenkirk’s slimy criminal lawyer, Saul Goodman, would be getting his own prequel with Better Call Saul. Breaking Bad, after all, is widely considered one of the best shows ever made, and matching that level of quality with a more comedic series based on a fairly minor character seemed like a tall order. Better Call Saul, however, ended up earning reviews that matched or even exceeded its predecessor, ultimately further expanding the world of the franchise in a compelling way.
It’s possible that a Gus show taking place before the Breaking Bad timeline could recreate Better Call Saul’s success, giving new depth to one of TV’s greatest villain characters. There are some reasons, however, why it might be best to leave Gus’s unexplored. The mystery of the character’s past and upbringing, for example, contributes to the menace and murkiness of the character. Fleshing out Gus’ upbringing, home life, and military career would remove an aura of mystery that actually helps make the character such an effective villain.
Depending on how far back the prequel explores in Gus’ life, Esposito may not be able to play him. Odenkirk and Esposito mostly got away with playing younger versions of their characters in Better Call Saul, but it’s now been more than 10 years since Breaking Bad ended. Esposito, at 65, could probably still play a version of the character in his 40s, but it would be a stretch to go beyond that. Considering how instrumental Esposito has been in bringing Gus to life, it’s not likely a Breaking Bad prequel with a new actor playing the role would work.
