Comparing the performance of Netflix films to full theatrical releases is like comparing apples to Macbooks, but Nielsen’s numbers for the “Breaking Bad” epilogue film “El Camino” show that it had a large enough audience that it might have taken the No. 1 at the box office if it had gone wide in theaters.
On Thursday, Nielsen reported an average minute audience of 6.5 million viewers watched “El Camino” this past weekend. Also Thursday, the National Association of Theater Owners reported that the national average movie ticket price for the third quarter of 2019 clocked in at $8.93.
If every person who saw “El Camino” this weekend bought a ticket at that price, the film would have earned an opening weekend total of approximately $58 million. That would have been enough to make it the No. 1 film of the weekend, beating the strong second weekend total of $55 million by the top movie of the month, “Joker.”
By comparison, another movie continuation of a beloved tv series, “Downton Abbey,” earned a $31 million opening in September from 3,079 screens. It was a record for distributor Focus Features, who worked with show creator Julian Fellowes to turn the film into a grand theatrical event for fans. Netflix and “Breaking Bad” creator Vince Gilligan did the opposite, keeping marketing and plot hints to a minimum and just letting the film’s existence build the hype among the show’s still passionate fanbase.
Of course, all of this comes with the usual caveat that pressing a button to stream a film from the comfort of one’s home requires much less time and effort than actually driving out to a movie theater and buying a ticket. But between the Nielsen ratings, strong YouTube metrics for the film’s trailer, and the sold-out limited screenings Netflix arranged at movie theaters, there are signs that “El Camino” would have been quite a box office hit.
Instead, Vince Gilligan brought it to Netflix as a TV event, in part as a nod to the streamer for helping turn “Breaking Bad” into one of the first must-binge shows of our current digital age.
“I think Netflix kept us on the air,” Gilligan told reporters after winning Best Drama at the 2013 Emmys. “Not only are we standing up here (with the Emmy), I don’t think our show would have even lasted beyond Season 2. … It’s a new era in television, and we’ve been very fortunate to reap the benefits.”
'El Camino': All the 'Breaking Bad' Alums Who Show Up in Vince Gilligan's Follow-Up Movie (Photos)
We know Jesse Pinkman (along with a few of his junkie friends) is back in "El Camino," the follow-up film to "Breaking Bad" that debuted on Netflix Friday.
But if you're reading this, you know that many more "Breaking Bad" vets came back, including many that didn't make it out of the AMC series alive. Here is every "Breaking Bad" alum we could find that pops up in "El Camino" (listed by order of appearance).
Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul): OK, we'll start with the most obvious one. Only Bryan Cranston's Walter White had more screen time in "Breaking Bad" so the list wouldn't be complete without the drug-dealer-turned-emotional-punching-bag Pinkman.
Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks): The flashbacks start right away, as "El Camino" opens with a quiet scene of Pinkman and Ehrmantraut, who gives him the idea of heading up to Alaska to start fresh.
This appears to take place in the same area (or at least, it's meant to resemble the same place) where Ehrmantraut was killed by Walt in one of Cranston's most brutal acts of the series.
Badger (Matt Jones): Along with Skinny Pete, Badger was one of the few "Breaking Bad" alums Netflix promoted ahead of "El Camino's" release. Hey, Jesse had to find somewhere to go after he escaped Uncle Jack's compound.
Skinny Pete (Charles Baker): Honestly, it was just nice to see that some things, like Skinny Pete and Badger busting each other's chops over video games, haven't changed.
Old Joe (Larry Hankin): Still impressed with Jesse's great magnet plan, Old Joe initially helps Pinkman dispose of Todd's El Camino, before realizing it was low-jacked.
Todd Alquist (Jesse Plemons): Of all the alums, Plemons' quiet psychopathic Todd surprisingly gets the most screentime. He appears in numerous flashback sequences, which help shine some light on Jesse's time as a meth-cooking captive.
Adam and Mrs. Pinkman (Michael Bofshever & Tess Harper): Jesse's parents haven't been seen since Season 3 of "Breaking Bad," but appear first via a TV news broadcast and then again when Jesse calls to lure them out of their house.
Ed (Robert Forester): Everyone's favorite vacuum shop owner helps smuggle Jesse to Alaska, an offer Jesse should've taken up the first time.
Walter White (Bryan Cranston): There was no way they could do a "Breaking Bad" follow-up without Jesse's deceased partner returning in some way. This comes in a flashback that takes place in Season 2, a reminder that Jesse and Walt weren't always at odds with each other.
Jane Margolis (Krysten Ritter): "El Camino" ends the same way it begins: with a flashback. This one, with Jesse and Jane driving through the New Mexico desert, mirrors Jesse's ending in the film, as he drives off to his new life in Alaska.
"Man Mountain" (David Mattey): So this one is a pretty deep cut (and technically cheating since he shows up in “Better Call Saul” and not “Breaking Bad,” but it’s the same world). But “Man Mountain” (or “Clarence” as he’s called in “El Camino”) briefly tussled with Mike in the first season of “Better Call Saul.” He has a small scene in "El Camino" as the guy who drops off the girls for the Kandy Welding guys.
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Spoilers below, so tread lightly…
We know Jesse Pinkman (along with a few of his junkie friends) is back in "El Camino," the follow-up film to "Breaking Bad" that debuted on Netflix Friday.
But if you're reading this, you know that many more "Breaking Bad" vets came back, including many that didn't make it out of the AMC series alive. Here is every "Breaking Bad" alum we could find that pops up in "El Camino" (listed by order of appearance).
