Aaron Paul’s Breaking Bad Replacement Could’ve Been Its Own Franchise But Never Got A Sequel Despite $203 Million Success

The Need for Speed movie was Aaron Paul‘s first major project after the conclusion of the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad. While Paul’s character on Breaking Bad, Jesse, was originally supposed to be killed off in the first season, plans were changed, and he was ultimately destined to star in all five seasons of the hit show. However, it doesn’t seem like Paul was destined to star in more Need for Speed films, as a sequel to the racing movie has not been made.

Need for Speed was released in 2014 and performed well at the box office, especially in China. While the film only has a 23% on Rotten Tomatoes, the cast of Need for Speed, which includes the likes of Paul, Rami Malek, Dakota Johnson, and Michael Keaton, made it an entertaining movie. However, while Need for Speed 2 was officially announced in 2015, just one year after the first film, it never materialized, and now it doesn’t seem like it will ever be made.

Need For Speed Was Aaron Paul’s First Big Project After Breaking Bad

Need For Speed Could Have Turned Aaron Paul Into A Movie Star

In Breaking Bad, Paul played Jesse Pinkman, a drug dealer who ended up partnering with Walter White to make and sell meth. The series ran from 2008-2013, with Paul appearing as a major character in all five seasons of Breaking Bad. The show received outstanding reviews, with many suggesting it is the best show of all time. However, when actors are so well-known for a role on a show, they can sometimes get stuck in that bubble and struggle to make an impact in any other projects.

Therefore, when Paul starred as the main character in Need for Speed just one year after the finale of Breaking Bad, it was a major step forward in his career. Need for Speed could have been a major hit, and turned Paul into a major movie star right after the success of Breaking Bad. However, while the racing movie didn’t perform badly at the box office, Need for Speed did not resonate with audiences, and remains an underwhelming project in Paul’s filmography.

Need For Speed Did Fine At The Box Office (But Never Got A Sequel)

Need For Speed 2 Would Have Filmed In China

Upon its release, Need for Speed did not receive the strongest reviews, but it was not a box office bomb by any means. Need for Speed made $203 million on a budget of $66 million. However, Need for Speed made the bulk of its money from international markets, especially China. While the film only made $43 million at the domestic box office, it was a massive hit in China. Therefore, while Need for Speed was profitable, its underwhelming domestic haul likely worried the studio about moving forward with the sequel.

Progress stalled on
Need for Speed 2
and barely anything has been heard about the sequel since.

Regardless, a sequel was announced in 2015, and Need for Speed 2 was going to be a co-production between EA and the China Movie Channel Program Center. There were hopes that Need for Speed could become a major international series, and the sequel was going to shoot primarily in China. This makes sense given the first film’s success at the Chinese box office. However, progress stalled on Need for Speed 2 and barely anything has been heard about the sequel since.

Need For Speed Had All The Ingredients To Become A Movie Franchise

Need For Speed Could Have Been A Major Racing Movie Franchise, Like Fast & Furious

Even though the first Need for Speed film did not receive the best reviews, its success at the international box office warranted a sequel. Additionally, several other attributes of the film suggest that Need for Speed could have become a major franchise. Stars like Aaron Paul, Malek, Johnson, and Keaton assured that Need for Speed had a strong cast, and the series could have sought out even more recognizable names for future installations.

Furthermore, the film was also based on the successful Need for Speed video game series, so it had a well-known IP that would ensure it remained relevant. Since it was a racing film, it also had many similarities to the Fast & Furious movies, which were making a lot of money at the box office at the time (2015’s Furious 7 made over $1.5 billion). Therefore, all the ingredients were there for Need for Speed to turn into a successful franchise, but it just didn’t end up working out.