IMG Licensing and Sony Pictures Television will team up to develop a global licensing program for the Breaking Bad franchise.
The Hollywood Reporter can reveal that the multi-year collaboration will deliver consumer products, brand partnerships and immersive fan experiences worldwide — all themed to one of the biggest television shows in history that saw Bryan Cranston’s Walter White turn to making and selling meth following a terminal cancer diagnosis.
The licensing deal will span the entire franchise, including the flagship, Emmy-winning series, which ran from 2008 to 2013, as well as prequel spinoff Better Call Saul (2015-2022) and the 2019 feature film El Camino with returning star Aaron Paul.
IMG Licensing will work closely with Sony Pictures Television and series creator Vince Gilligan to “identify strategic partners across key categories including premium apparel, collectibles, food and beverage, home decor, travel, publishing, and experiential activations.” The program will target major markets globally, focusing on collabs that will resonate with long-time fans, while simultaneously introducing the franchise to new audiences.
“Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and El Camino represent one of the most acclaimed bodies of work in television history, with a fanbase that’s as devoted as any in the medium,” said Jennifer Rogers Doyle, executive vice president of franchise at Sony Pictures TV.
“IMG Licensing’s track record of building programs that truly reflect what fans love about a great story makes them the right partner to bring this universe beyond the screen in ways that feel authentic to what Vince Gilligan created,” she added.
The deal marks the first time Sony has appointed an external licensing agency to develop a global licensing program for the franchise. They join a slew of other entertainment brands to have tapped IMG Licensing in the past year, including StudioCanal, Sarah J. Maas, and The Little Prince.
“We are honored to be expanding the Breaking Bad universe through meaningful collaborations and products,” said Desmond Sansevere, vice president, IMG Licensing. “From once-in-a-lifetime characters like Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Saul Goodman, to iconic moments that have shaped both television and popular culture, this franchise has firmly cemented its place in the cultural zeitgeist for generations to come.”
