From Writer/Director Vince Gilligan ("The X-Files"), Starring Emmy-Nominated Actor Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Aaron Paul (Mission: Impossible III), Anna Gunn ("Deadwood") and Dean Norris (Little Miss Sunshine)
Mark Johnson (The Chronicles of Narnia, What Lies Beneath, Donnie Brasco) Executive Produces; Oscar®-winning Cinematographer John Toll (The Last Samurai, Braveheart, Legends of the Fall) is Director of Photography
NEW YORK, NY, February 26, 2007 – AMC begins filming March 6th on an original one-hour pilot episode of BREAKING BAD, written and directed by Vince Gilligan ("The X-Files" writer/producer/director) on location in Albuquerque, NM. In addition, AMC announces the casting of Bryan Cranston, Emmy-nominated veteran actor most recently seen in the acclaimed film Little Miss Sunshine and best known for his six seasons as Malcolm's dad Hal in "Malcolm in the Middle;" Aaron Paul (Mission: Impossible III); Anna Gunn ("Deadwood"); Dean Norris (Little Miss Sunshine); and Betsy Brandt ("CSI") in major roles.
"Breaking Bad is one of the strongest pilot scripts we've ever seen," said Vlad Wolynetz, AMC's Vice President of Production for Series and Movies. "This bold and powerful subject matter, combined with the tremendously talented creative team of Vince Gilligan, John Toll, and Bryan Cranston, truly epitomizes AMC's cinematic approach to original programming."
In the tradition of generations of films that chronicle the anti-hero, BREAKING BAD is a one hour drama pilot that follows the story of a desperate man with nothing to lose – and what he is willing to do for his family's survival. In the pilot, the protagonist, Walter White, a chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife and a teenage son stricken by cerebral palsy, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to secure his family's financial security, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in this world. The show plans to explore how a death sentence such as his releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society. Vince Gilligan's sharp and poignant pilot script sets the stage for Walter White's transformation from mild family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.
The one hour pilot is set to debut in 2008.
BREAKING BAD is produced for AMC by Sony Pictures Television. Noted film and TV producer Mark Johnson (The Chronicles of Narnia, What Lies Beneath, Donnie Brasco) joins Gilligan as executive producer. Two-time Oscar®-winning cinematographer John Toll (The Last Samurai, Braveheart, Legends of the Fall) is Director of Photography.
Vince Gilligan wrote for the hit series "The X-Files" and its spin-off "The Lone Gunmen." Movies he's written include Home Fries, starring Drew Barrymore.
BREAKING BAD continues AMC's commitment to celebrate movies and high quality original programming. This marks the second dramatic pilot announced recently by the network, with the first, "Mad Men," slated to premiere in Summer 2007 with 13 episodes. "Mad Men" is AMC's provocative new original series from Emmy-winning writer and executive producer, Matt Weiner, of The Sopranos. Set in 1960 New York City, Mad Men pulls the viewer into an unexpected new world – the high-powered and glamorous "Golden Age" of advertising – where everyone is selling something and nothing is ever what you expect it to be. AMC developed a one-hour pilot of "Mad Men" in April, which was co-produced by @radical.media, directed by Alan Taylor ("The Sopranos," "Lost") and filmed on locations in New York City. The show's cast includes: Jon Hamm ("We Were Soldiers"), Elisabeth Moss ("West Wing"), Vincent Kartheiser ("Angel"), January Jones ("American Wedding"), and Christina Hendricks ("Kevin Hill"), as well as guest star John Slattery ("K Street," "Sex and the City").
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE tv and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 90,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."
About Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Sony Pictures Television also oversees all of Sony Pictures Entertainment's (SPE) domestic digital efforts across all platforms. Sony Pictures Television, advertiser sales, is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses, for Sony BMG and for iN DEMAND's high definition channel INHD. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.