Fans would probably love it if Giancarlo Esposito reprised his role as Gus Fring from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul for a third time — and it turns out the actor would, too.
Esposito made his remarks, which even included a pitch for the title of a hypothetical show, during a fan Q&A panel at Rose City Comic Con in Portland, Oregon Sunday.
One fan asked Esposito: “Since Better Call Saul has ended if Vince Gilligan were to offer you the role of Gus a third time, would you take it?”
“Yes, in a heartbeat. No hesitation,” Esposito responded, to the eruption of applause and cheers from the fans who packed the ballroom.
However, the acclaimed actor quickly brought expectations back down to earth, explaining that his return to the villain character is completely down to whether Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan would actually want to make another show centering on him.
“I mean, look. I feel like Vince Gilligan is a master at what he does, a master craftsman. I’m sure after so many years of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, he might want to take a little break to brainstorm and do something else. But I propose that we eventually get to a show, whether it’s limited or a little bit extended for a few years, called The Rise of Gus.”
Gilligan and the Breaking Bad cast and crew pulled off an almost unimaginable feat by crafting a prequel series, Better Call Saul, starring Bob Odenkirk, that was nearly as highly acclaimed as its predecessor. To pull off another prequel series after such a high bar was set makes us wonder whether a compelling solo show about Gus could truly be achieved to that same standard. However, if anyone can do it, it’s Esposito.
The ball is firmly in Gilligan’s court as to whether The Rise of Gus may come to fruition one day.