You don’t often see statues of methamphetamine dealers erected in public, but the city of Albuquerque will do just that. Sony Pictures have announced that pair of Breaking Bad statues are set to be unveiled in Albuquerque later this month, featuring Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul).
“Over the course of fifteen years, two TV shows and one movie, Albuquerque has been wonderful to us,” Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan said in a statement. “I wanted to return the favor and give something back. These larger-than-life bronzes of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman exist thanks to the generosity of Sony Pictures Television and the artistry of sculptor Trevor Grove, and I love them. It makes me happy to picture them gracing The Duke City for decades to come, attracting busloads of tourists.” In a joint statement, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul said:
We are thrilled and humbled to be getting bronze statues of our characters from Breaking Bad permanently placed at the Convention Center in downtown Albuquerque. This city has meant so much to us over the years, and we want to thank everyone in ABQ, for not only being great hosts through our show and Better Call Saul but being an important character in the storytelling as well. We also appreciate that the statues will be indoors, and therefore protected from pigeons depositing their critiques on our heads.
The Breaking Bad statues will be revealed on July 29th and will be displayed inside the Albuquerque Convention Center. The unveiling ceremony will include Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Bryan Cranston, and Aaron Paul, as well as a few special guests.
The Breaking Bad franchise has been a fixture of Albuquerque for quite some time, beginning with the premiere of Breaking Bad in 2008, the debut of prequel series Better Call Saul in 2015, and the release of El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie in 2019. Better Call Saul is in the midst of its sixth and final season and we’ll be seeing Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reprise their roles before all is said and done.