DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg revealed in October 2013 that he offered Breaking Bad creators $75 million to produce three extra episodes after the series finale, but Vince Gilligan and his team declined the massive payday.
Katzenberg proposed paying $25 million per episode for three 90-minute installments totaling 180 minutes of new content. At the time, Breaking Bad episodes cost just $3.5 million to produce, making the $75 million offer more than seven times the normal production budget per episode.
The DreamWorks CEO planned to debut the episodes online through his streaming service, charging viewers $1 for each six-minute segment. Katzenberg made the proposal six weeks before the Breaking Bad finale aired on September 29, 2013, hoping to extend the acclaimed series’ run.
The creators ultimately rejected the $75 million offer, choosing artistic integrity over financial gain. Their decision preserved the show’s carefully planned ending, allowing Breaking Bad to conclude on its own terms as one of television’s most critically acclaimed series with its vision intact.
