Screenwriter Thomas Schnauz revealed the unexpected role producers wanted Werner Herzog to play in ‘Breaking Bad.’
On X, Schnauz shared that they wanted Herzog to play Peter Schuler, the Madrigal Electromotive boss in Season 5. Herzog recently appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, talking about his life with Ben Mankiewicz.
Schnauz mentioned this in a reply when Mankiewicz shared the interview. He said, “We hoped [Herzog] would play the head of Madrigal (Schuler) in ‘Breaking Bad,’ but we couldn’t get him.” The post caught the attention of hundreds of fans, who replied with comments like: “That would’ve been nuts,” and “Wow! He would have been perfect!”
Schuler, played by Norbert Weisser, appeared in ‘Breaking Bad’ Season 5 and ‘Better Call Saul’ Season 5. He was the head of Madrigal’s fast-food division, linked to Gus Fring’s Los Pollos Hermanos. In the episode ‘Madrigal,’ Schuler’s boss, Mr. Herzog, is introduced as the CEO, unaware of his company’s criminal ties.
While Herzog didn’t appear in the series, they included a nod to the filmmaker by naming Schuler’s boss Mr. Herzog. Played by Wolf Muser, the character briefly appears in Season 5, promising the DEA full cooperation.
Herzog, often cast for his voice and German accent, is also a renowned filmmaker and a leader of New German Cinema. Recently, he has had cameos in ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘Parks and Recreation,’ and ‘Rick and Morty,’ via Screen Rant.
‘Breaking Bad’ featured some memorable guest stars, according to CBR. Danny Trejo played Tortuga, an informant whose head ends up on an explosive tortoise. Bill Burr appeared as Kuby, a hired criminal. In ‘Better Call Saul,’ Carol Burnett had a key role tied to Saul Goodman’s fate.
Both ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ are streaming on Netflix.
