Breaking Bad Was Inspired By The Iconic 80s Movie You Probably Already Guessed
How Scarface served as a blueprint for Walter White's transformation.
When you think of iconic movies from the 80s, Scarface undoubtedly comes to mind. But did you know that this cinematic masterpiece played a role in inspiring one of the most acclaimed TV series of the 21st century, Breaking Bad?
Vince Gilligan told Vanity Fair that the idea of a meth lab in an RV popped up while he was joking with a friend about potential career changes. This seemingly random thought laid the foundation for the series.
Gilligan's vision was clear: transform the main character, Walter White, from a simple high school chemistry teacher, or “Mr. Chips” as Gilligan put it, into Scarface.
In the early seasons of Breaking Bad, Walter White's character was designed to reflect the struggles of an ordinary man facing extraordinary circumstances. Diagnosed with terminal cancer, Walter's initial foray into the world of meth production was driven by a desire to secure his family's financial future.
However, as the series progressed, Walter's motivations shifted. The once mild-mannered teacher became obsessed with power, much like Tony Montana in Scarface.
The 1983 crime drama Scarface is about Tony Montana's (portrayed by Al Pacino) ruthless ascent in the drug trade, losing his moral compass along the way.
Walter White's journey mirrored this transformation. He starts off as a family guy, but then he turns into this unstable, power-hungry criminal who'll stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Throughout Breaking Bad, Walter grappled with his actions and their consequences. In the memorable scene of season 1, he made a list of reasons to kill or spare a captive meth distributor. This internal conflict highlighted the incipient duality of his character — a man torn between his old life and the allure of power.
Vince Gilligan mentioned in an interview with NPR that the show was an experiment. He wanted to explore how a character could evolve from a protagonist to an antagonist over time.
Gilligan’s experiment proved to be successful. By the series' end, Walter's transformation was complete with his confession that his actions were not only about protecting the family but were mostly driven by his own selfish desires.
Source: Vanity Fair, NPR