Bob Odenkirk Sets ‘Better Call Saul’ Follow-Up at AMC

Bob Odenkirk will stay put at AMC following the end of Better Call Saul.

The Emmy winner will star in and executive produce an adaptation of Richard Russo’s novel Straight Man. AMC Networks has fast-tracked the project — which comes from writers Aaron Zelman (Resurrection, Damages) and Paul Lieberstein (The Office), Sony’s TriStar TV and Gran Via — for a potential 2023 debut. Peter Farrelly is attached to direct.

Straight Man is the midlife crisis story of William Henry Deveraux Jr. (Odenkirk), the unlikely chair of the English department at Railton College, a badly underfunded school in the Pennsylvania rust belt.

“I loved Paul and Aaron’s take on Richard’s excellent, entertaining novel. Once again [this is] a project with AMC with a focus on character depth and sensitivity,” said Odenkirk in a statement. “This milieu (academia) seems very pertinent to the conversations we’re all having. I am drawn to the tone of humanity and humor in the novel and I look forward to playing this role — something lighter than my recent projects but still closely observed and smart.”

Related Stories

TV

'Succession' Star Brian Cox Doubles Down on Method Acting Criticism

TV

Queen Charlotte Is a Woman Forced Into Marriage in the 'Queen Charlotte' Trailer

Straight Man would be the third series at AMC for Odenkirk, following Breaking Bad and its prequel, Better Call Saul. The latter begins its sixth and final season on April 18, with the series finale slated to air in August.

“Bob Odenkirk is just as good as it gets,” said AMC Studios and AMC Networks entertainment president Dan McDermott. “We feel so fortunate to be developing a new show that would keep him at AMC after Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, two iconic series that have been beloved by millions of fans and helped define AMC and its reputation for unforgettable characters and high-quality storytelling for adults. We’re also thrilled to be working again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via to explore this compelling material.”

Odenkirk joins fellow Better Caul Saul and Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito in sticking around at AMC. Esposito will star in and executive produce a drama titled The Driver at the cabler, based on a 2014 BBC miniseries.

Zelman and Lieberstein will serve as co-showrunners on Straight Man. They executive produce with Odenkirk (who has a first-look deal at Sony Pictures TV), Farrelly, Russo, Naomi Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero.