Gus Fring Actor’s Breaking Bad Spinoff Idea Is Perfect (But Ignores 1 Impossible Problem)

Giancarlo Esposito played Gus Fring in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and the actor has a perfect spinoff idea — but it ignores one problem that would be almost impossible to overcome. Esposito’s character proves an intimidating villain throughout Breaking Bad, and its prequel shows a new side of his character. While Gus is no less serious or dangerous in Better Call Saul, he holds less power within the cartel. He’s a far cry from the drug lord Walter White deals with, even if he shows glimpses of him throughout Saul Goodman’s story.

And both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul hint that there’s more to uncover about his character, especially through his interactions with characters like Don Eladio. Unfortunately, neither AMC series gives full attention to his backstory, as they’re preoccupied with their main characters. This has left fans speculating about who Gus was before he came to the U.S., and Esposito has some thoughts about that. In fact, he pitched the perfect Breaking Bad spinoff show about his character, but there’s one massive problem that will likely prevent it from ever happening.

Giancarlo Esposito’s Gus Fring Prequel Idea Sounds Amazing

During a Q&A video for British GQ, Esposito was asked about a Gus Fring prequel show — and the Breaking Bad star seemed all for a series fleshing out his character’s backstory in further depth. He even revealed what he imagines Gus’ story to be, and his version of events sounds like an amazing spinoff idea. Esposito admitted that he believes Gus was “a military guy who worked his way up through the ranks” while he lived in Chile. The actor suggested he could have been on his way to becoming the country’s president or dictator.

“But he wanted to do something that could not be controlled by others,” Esposito continued. “He wanted to control his own destiny. And so he took off to create a new life for himself in America and became a meth dealer.” While this isn’t confirmed, it’s a fascinating view of Gus’ life before the events of Breaking Bad. And it’s in line with the way Esposito’s character is portrayed throughout the series, as he’s both ambitious and unwilling to take commands from others. Gus’ organization skills and intimidating personality would make him well-suited to becoming a dictator, but Esposito’s right that his character might not want that.

Such a journey would be entertaining, and it would give a Gus Fring prequel show the ability to continue the cartel storylines Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are known for while bringing something new to the table. The AMC franchise hasn’t delved into politics yet, but Fring’s backstory could balance its drug plot with that. Better Call Saul struck this balance with its cartel and lawyer storylines in much the same way. But even if Esposito’s Breaking Bad spinoff idea is compelling, it would face an impossible challenge.

Giancarlo Esposito Can’t Actually Play Gus Fring In A Breaking Bad Prequel

Even with an exciting plot like the one pitched by Esposito, a Gus Fring prequel series would struggle to get off the ground. This is because Esposito wouldn’t be able to play the Breaking Bad villain in the spinoff, as any series outlining his character’s backstory would require a much younger actor. Esposito had already started to look older than Gus was supposed to be in Better Call Saul, but that was easy to ignore, as it was set much closer to the original series. A prequel set two decades before Breaking Bad wouldn’t be able to make Esposito as Gus work.

While there are solutions to this prequel problem for most shows and movies, having a new actor play Gus would be a big risk for the Breaking Bad franchise. It may not even be worth trying. Esposito’s idea probably wouldn’t be enough to carry the series with this near-impossible challenge plaguing it.

Recasting Gus Fring Would Be A Near-Impossible Challenge For The Breaking Bad Spinoff

Some actors become so heavily associated with their characters that recasting would be nearly impossible, and that’s definitely the case for Esposito and Gus Fring. Esposito has received tons of praise for his portrayal of Breaking Bad‘s villain, and he captures the character’s nuances impressively. It’s hard to envision anyone else stepping into the role and doing it nearly as well. While it’s not impossible to find an actor who’s up to the challenge, it’s also not likely a Breaking Bad prequel will manage it.

No matter who is cast as a younger Gus Fring, they’ll also face endless comparisons to Esposito. This would put unfair expectations on another Breaking Bad prequel, potentially even causing it to fail. As Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have such a solid legacy, it’d be a shame to see something like this break it. It’s probably better to leave Gus’ backstory up to the imagination, though there is one possible way to make the spinoff happen even with this challenge.

How Giancarlo Esposito Could Still Appear In A Gus Fring Prequel Show

Having a new actor take on the role of Gus Fring without Esposito’s involvement is unthinkable, but including the Breaking Bad star in the spinoff — even in a minor role — could fix this problem. There are ways for Esposito to appear in a Gus prequel, and if his appearances are made sparingly, it won’t be noticeable that he’s aging out of the role. For example, a Gus Fring prequel could take a leaf out of Better Call Saul‘s book and utilize separate timelines. It wouldn’t need to do this every episode, but it could use flash-forwards to show the Breaking Bad star as an older Gus in between scenes of his replacement.

Additionally, Esposito could do voice-overs for the series, narrating the Breaking Bad prequel while someone else plays his character. This would keep him consistently present without overshadowing whoever plays Gus after him. It’s the perfect fix for Esposito’s Breaking Bad prequel idea, though the series would need to come up with a reason for him to tell the audience about his life. Perhaps he can explain it to a family member or someone else important, offering insight into the villain’s personal life that the original series never does.