Better Call SaulandBreaking Badactor Bob Odenkirk says he is content with not returning to the iconic role.Odenkirk played Saul Goodman, the sleazy lawyer for Walter White (Bryan Cranston) through three and a half seasons, and then reprised the role for six seasons in thehighly acclaimedBetter Call Saul.
Odenkirk is starring as Hutch Mansell inNobody 2, the sequel to his 2021 filmNobody. Mansell, a former assassin turned family man, now has to resurrect his old skill set to fight off a Russian crime lord.Nobody 2continues the violent stories of Hutch, also starring Connie Nielsen, RZA, and Colin Hanks.
Speaking toThe Hollywood Reporterahead of the release ofNobody 2, Odenkirk said that while he enjoyed playing the role, both Goodman and his character from the film, Hutch Mansell, carried “impacted frustration” and that they were “hard to play after a while.” Odenkirk said he’s happy to move on from the character but didn’t rule out returning to theNobodyfilm series. Read the full quote below.
He was great, and I enjoyed playing him. Both Hutch Mansell inNobodyand Saul Goodman inBetter Call Saulhave a lot of impacted frustration inside them. They’re guys who, for different reasons, have pretty big chips on their shoulders, and that’s hard to play after a while.
You can’t just carry that guy around all the time. So I’m fine with moving on from them both, although I would do more Hutch. I would do a third or fourth [Nobody] film.
What This Means For Any Potential Future For Saul Goodman
For almost 15 years, Bob Odenkirk lived the life, trials, and tribulations of Jimmy McGill, also known as Saul Goodman and then Gene Takavic, in theBreaking Baduniverse. Characters with such deep complexity can put an emotional and mental strain on the actors and actresses who occupy them, and Odenkirk seems happy withtheending of Jimmy McGill’s story.
With Odenkirk stepping away from the Goodman character, he leaves the door open for more time as Hutch in the successfulNobodyseries. WithNobody 2’s reviewsgiving it an impressive 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes, there’s certainly a demand for more, and Odenkirk is game for more adventures and violence.
Our Take On Bob Odenkirk Moving On From Saul Goodman
The sleaziness of Goodman inBreaking Badis given depth and context throughoutBetter Call Saul. We last saw Saul Goodman accepting both his real name Jimmy McGill, and his lengthy prison sentence after assisting Walter White’s criminal enterprise, neatly wrapping up his story.
86 years is a long time in jail, and Goodman’s life sentence pales in comparison to the damage he and White left in their wake. Odenkirk played the role of Goodman masterfully, and also completely inBetter Call Saul, so there’s no other squeaky situation to see Goodman wiggle out of. With some new adventures for Hutch in his sightline, and Odenkirk being ready to do more, we’re ready for moreNobody.
Better Call Saul
Cast
Better Call Saul follows small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill as he navigates the legal world to make ends meet. The series, set six years before his encounter with Walter White, chronicles Jimmy’s evolution into Saul Goodman, with notable interactions alongside fixer Mike Ehrmantraut.
