Breaking Bad Spin-off Movie Might Be About To Start Shooting

AMC's hit TV drama Breaking Bad might have ended back in 2013, but the wider universe it was set in continues to thrive. The prequel show Better Call Saul has been renewed for a fifth season, and now it has been reported that series creator Vince Gilligan is about to start shooting a Breaking Bad movie.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, production on the two-hour film will begin this month in New Mexico. Specific details about the project are scarce and it has not been officially confirmed by AMC. However, THR states that the movie has been known by the working (or possibly fake) title Greenbrier within the industry for some time. The New Mexico Film Office has confirmed that a project with that title is due to start shooting in mid-November.

While we don't know if the movie will be a prequel or sequel, THR states that it will focus on "the escape of a kidnapped man and his quest for freedom." Gilligan has written the script and might be directing. It is also unknown if either of Breaking Bad's main stars--Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul--are set to return. Cranston's character, Walter White, died at the end of that show.

Better Call Saul premiered in 2015. It follows the earlier life of Breaking Bad's shady lawyer Saul Goodman, with Bob Odenkirk reprising the lead role. The fourth season finished its run last month, and will return for a fifth season next year. Season 4 saw the storyline get much closer to the events of Breaking Bad, with actors Jonathan Banks (as Mike Ehrmantraut), Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring), and Mark Margolis (Héctor Salamanca) all reprising their Breaking Bad roles.

In related news, it was reported this week that AMC is planning a trilogy of Walking Dead movies. Star Andrew Lincoln left the show this week, but he will return as Rick Grimes in three standalone films, which will screen on the network. "These are going to be big, epic entertainments," Walking Dead chief content officer Scott Gimple said. "Each are quality films. That's what’s been happening in the industry. We've seen Netflix make these, basically, studio films for people to watch in their homes, and we're going to be doing the same sort of thing here."