Vince Gilligan is "doubtful as hell" about a Breaking Bad sequel idea focused on Walter Jr.

Given that Breaking Bad and its prequel series Better Call Saul are two of the most critically acclaimed television shows of the 21st century, it’s no wonder that fans would love for creator Vince Gilligan to continue exploring that world. Perhaps someday he will return to it, but if he does, it probably won’t follow Walter Jr., he tells Variety in a new interview.

“That is doubtful as hell,” the showrunner says when asked about the concept of a show centered on Walter Jr. after the events of Breaking Bad. “The only attractive thing about that idea is working with RJ Mitte again because he’s a wonderful actor and sweet guy. But that would be depressing as hell. That would be the wrong lesson from the show, if there are any lessons at all to be gleaned from it.”

That isn’t to say Gilligan hasn’t thought about the character’s future—in fact, he sometimes finds himself “daydreaming about what would have happened to them.” Partially out of love for Anna Gunn and RJ Mitte, Gilligan hopes that “things get better for them” despite the unhappy ending of Breaking Bad. “I’d hate the thought of Walt Jr. following in Walt’s footsteps in the crime business. That’s probably the kind of thing somebody will pitch 10 or 15 years from now—Walter Jr. as an Albuquerque crime lord succeeding where his father failed.”

Gilligan, however, has “no interest in seeing that happen,” and in fact, his idle daydreaming has never risen “to the level of, ‘Gee, I’d like to tell more about the story.’” He doesn’t rule it out entirely, though, leaving the door open to return to the Breaking Bad sandbox “in a few years maybe.” For now, he’ll focus on his “mild sci-fi” with Rhea Seehorn. Sorry Walt Jr.!