Breaking Bad Villain Spinoff In The Works?
Raymond Cruz would be open to making a Breaking Bad spin-off about Tuco Salamanca
Last year, Better Call Saul came to a definite conclusion after six seasons, and it seemed to mark the end of the Breaking Bad universe. Of course, that hasn’t stopped fans from pleading for another spinoff series. In fact, one concept that has been frequently tossed around by the television franchise’s loyal fanbase is a show centered around the Salamanca family.
According to Movie Web, Raymond Cruz, who portrays the fan-favorite antagonist Tuco Salamanca on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, is definitely open to reprising his role in another prequel series.
In an interview with ScreenRant he said, “It would be great for the Salamancas to all come together and break on a show, that would be amazing. They have so many options; they have such amazing storylines and amazing characters, and that’s what the fans are drawn to.”
Although no official statement has been made about continuing the acclaimed series, a Superbowl ad featuring Raymond Cruz, Bryan Cranston, and Aaron Paul reprising their roles as Tuco Salamanca, Walter White, and Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad has sparked renewed interest in a potential spinoff show.
In the commercial, which aired during Sunday’s big game, the trio is seen cooking up PopCorners chips instead of meth. The ad was a huge hit with viewers and a trip down memory lane for fans of the Breaking Bad universe.
The commercial parodies a scene in Breaking Bad where Jesse hails Walt an artist after he whips up his first batch of meth, to which the latter replies that it’s nothing more than basic chemistry. Of course, rather than cooking up meth, it’s revealed that the duo has perfected a recipe for PopCorners chips.
Moments later, Walt and Jesse are shown handing a bag of PopCorners to Cruz’s Tucco. After Walt demands that Tucco says their name, which is a callback to one of the character’s most famous lines from Breaking Bad, Tucco proceeds to bite into one of the chips. Shortly after, he utters his signature phrase “tight, tight, tight!,” and we instantly remember why we fell in love with the character in the first place.
Cruz admitted he was beyond thrilled to reunite with his former co-stars and series creator Vince Gilligan for the PopCorners ad saying, “The fact that Vince Gilligan is there directing you, and you’re stepping across from the actors that you created this whole scenario in the first place with, now you’re recreating it, and you’re just twisting it with this whole PopCorners, it was fantastic.”
Whether a Breaking Bad spin-off revolving around the Salamanca family ever comes to fruition remains to be seen. From Cruz’s Tuco to the deadly Salamancas twins, Leonel and Marco (Daniel Moncada and Luis Moncada), Lalo (Tony Dalton) and Hector (Mark Margolis), there are plenty of characters whose storylines we’d love to see explored. For instance, how did Tuco become so unhinged?
Breaking Bad premiered on AMC on January 20, 2008. Created by Vince Gilligan, the series received 58 Emmy Award nominations over the course of five seasons and won 16 of them. It is widely regarded as one of the best television series of all time.
In the show, a chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine with a former student in order to secure his family’s future. Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Dean Norris, Bob Odenkirk, Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito. The show spawned the prequel spinoff series Better Call Saul and the Netflix film El Camino.
