By Chris Snellgrove | Published
We’re still living in the Golden Age of Television, with new must-see shows popping up all the time. However, there is one that has yet to be dethroned as the greatest series of all time: Breaking Bad. Courtesy of runner Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad took the world by storm with its story of a cancer-stricken science teacher (Walter White) forced to sell meth to get medical help. It soon moved beyond this sensational setting with a tale of power, corruption, and redemption. Breaking Bad it even became a hit, appealing to Zoomers as much as it did to Millennials.
The Breaking Bad franchise continued with a film centered around Jesse Pinkman (El Camino) and a spinoff show about Walter’s funny lawyer (Better Call Saul). All were well received, and the entire franchise is considered the standard of modern storytelling. Unfortunately, everyone’s favorite franchise was recently sold. IMG Licensing and Sony Pictures Television have partnered to develop an entire global licensing program dedicated to the Breaking Bad Universe.
He is the Eater
In accordance with The Hollywood ReporterIMG and Sony are developing a Breaking Bad licensing program as part of a “multi-year partnership” that will “deliver consumer products, brand partnerships and immersive fan experiences around the world.” In partnership with franchise creator Vince Gilligan, they hope to “identify strategic partners across key categories including luxury apparel, collectibles, food and beverage, home decor, travel, publishing, and experiential activation.” The goal is simple: attractiveness Breaking Bad followers while bringing new ones into the fold. What makes all of this noteworthy is that this is “the first time that Sony has appointed an external licensing agency to develop a global licensing program.”
When I first heard this news, my heart sank a little. I never had a problem with basic Breaking Bad property; after all, as one of the most popular shows of all time, it was inevitable that the show would get its predictable bevy of t-shirts, action figures, and even blue rock candy made to resemble Walter White’s signature brand of meth. Well, totally me despised the 2023 Super Bowl commercial that brought together Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul to sell Popcorners. It recreated some memorable Breaking Bad bad scenes and ended with Cranston uttering the most poignant line of all: “I’m the one who eats.”
Bad Breakout: Looking for More Money
Maybe I’m just old and crazy, but I hated that commercial because it undermined the entire Breaking Bad brand, all to sell another freakin’ potato chip that no one ever had or will ever care about. Now, that was the kind of weird stuff that happened before management began working on a global licensing system. Things have the ability to get a a lot the worst, like Star Wars style Happy Meals, ridiculous AI-driven commercials, reality shows, etc. Trust me: no matter how bad you think it will be, this will eventually get more, a lot even worse.
For example, I have a bad feeling about those “embedded experiences” mentioned above. Are we going to get pop-up stands where you can lie on top of piles of fake money for a photo opportunity? Competitions where we see how well you can get a big frisbee pizza on top of the house? Maybe there will be an interactive game where you can try to save Hank from certain death. Would any of this be fun and memorable? It is possible. But everything will work to further reduce the IP, to do Breaking Bad much like Star Wars. That is, nothing more than an excuse to sell as many things as humanly possible.
As always, I could be wrong. We’ll probably get a lot of cool merchandise and some really cool information, especially since Vince Gilligan is involved. But if this licensing system produces too much madness, it will be the worst of both worlds, keeping Gilligan from meaningfully working on anything new while lowering our general perception of his integrity as a creator. That being said, however, we can agree on one thing: all will be forgiven if they introduce Los Pollos Hermanos as a global fried chicken brand. Be sure to get a side order of blue meth for a more immersive experience!
