CANNES — Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation, told an audience of TV execs at the Mipcom mart in Cannes that six weeks ago he offered to commission three extra episodes — totaling 180 minutes — of “Breaking Bad.” He offered to pay $25 million per episode, he said.
The episodes would continue from where the show ended.
“I had this crazy idea. I was nuts for the show. I had no idea where this season was going,” he said during the keynote session at Mipcom.
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“The last series cost about $3.5 million an episode. So they would make more profit from these three shows than they made from five years of the entire series,” he said.
He explained that he had intended to show the extra content as six-minute segments over 30 days online.
“I said (to them), ‘I’m going to create the greatest pay-per-view television event for scripted programming anybody’s ever done,’ ” he explained.
He planned to charge viewers from around 50 cents to 99 cents per episode.
However, this was before Katzenberg knew where the “Breaking Bad” creative team were taking the storyline, which meant his idea was a non-starter.
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Katzenberg told the anecdote to illustrate his belief in the commercial potential of short-form content online.
“I share the story with you only to tell you that I have the courage of my convictions in this. I just think that there is a whole new platform for (short form) entertainment … and the higher the quality of the stuff that fills it, the higher people will be paid for the work that they are doing there,” he said.
DreamWorks Animation bought YouTube entertainment network AwesomenessTV for $33 million at the end of April.
Yo, hey I want to play the role of Jesse’s newfound girlfriend. Who’s a musician as and not using and supportive in everything. However, not really all that girly and so maybe Jesse could go blind and then meet me. Then get his sight back, if I don’t work out lol
You can’t buy genius Katzy-baby
Can’t he invest in programs that shows the NSA saving us from Enemies of the State.
You Know, I really enjoyed Breaking Bad from start to the finish I have not yet seen. I am sure i will enjoy the remaining episodes as much as all the previous.
But at a time when People are losing their homes, dont when they have no extra money because fuel prices just to go to work and back are eating up any would be extra, thru no fault of their own.
It seems like You are out of touch with what REALLY MATTERS in this world.
Its nice that YOU have enough extra that you are not concerned with spending more than many would never see in a lifetime on a fantasy show for your own amusement and glorification of recognition and a pat on the back from approving friends for having made it possible for it to continue just a bit more.
I am a huge fan of the Show, and Brian and the other actors and actress. Huge.
Maybe You DO DONATE to a legit charity of your choice. Think of the GOOD you could do to help some fellow human beings, orphaned kids, people who lost everything from storms.
Santa is Watching Us.
Hmmm how about you donate those millions to real life situations that matter. Like cancer research.. People these days so damn brainwashed by media
This just in!
Jeffrey Katzenberg is going to pay $75 million for a large pizza from Papa John’s. Why? He had this crazy idea. He was nuts for a pizza, THEIR pizza! He had no idea about a pizza, Katzenberg mentioned during the keynote session at Mipcom.
This just in!
Jeffrey Katzenberg is going to pay $7.50 for three extra episodes of Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” (d. 1985, c. 1987).
LOL! The entire premise of the show is that our capitalist healthcare system is so awful that it drove Walter into a life of crime. Did you actually watch the show? Vince Gilligan and the other writers are liberals.
He didn’t start selling/making drugs to pay for healthcare jackass. When he found out he was going to die he wanted to leave money behind to pay for all expenses. In the first season he sits in the car and states how much money he is going to need for them to be comfortable without him. I think it was $750K to cover mortgage, college etc. NOT MEDICAL BILLS!!!
lol who needs healthcare as long as someone is making tons of good meth?! Nobody
AND medical bills. Perhaps you shouldn’t call someone a jackass when YOU are WRONG!
Jericho
disgusting. all that money could be used to feed and clothe and house the POOR. you should all feel disgusted. but you wont. you have no capability to do so.
The money you have spent on your computer and your Internet connection could have been used to feed, clothe and house the poor. You should feel disgusted, but you won’t because you are not capable of such emotions.
Now how do you like them apples?
spoken like a true liberal…spend other peoples money…i notice that you are still online…just exactly how much did you give to the homeless this past week, month or year?????
Just here to say, thanks for not spoiling the episode, although it’s already been spoiled for me, you’ve gone out of your way to not do so! Thanks Leo.
Viewers will prefer to watch complete episodes one a week and pay $ 5.00 per episode. This will
lead to a new business of distribution for other material. I have all the studies and new materials that
can be produced and distributed for less than a million for 50 minutes episodes.
Actually – it can easily happen – story-wise. There was no pulse taken or declaration of lack of health on the closing shot – and half of the core team are still healthy. All it needs is some cop to; cover a wound and do CPR saying ‘i’m not going to let you get off that easily’ and it is game-on!
Katzenberg can’t bring Wolter Whide back to life. If the show goes on. He’ll need a new Ryan Cranstone character. Fizzleberry. A Bruce Willisness type peon..person. Throw in the lovely Emma Watson, and you’ve got AMC another HIT! Like the Walking Dead Heads, and the Ghost of Jerry Garcia!
Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….Ryan Cranstone….
bryan cranston. Double fail.
DONT SELL OUT VINCE
*tips fedora*
I do agree with Katzenberg. I regularly watch fan made videos and live action webisodes for different video games. I would most likely do so for TV series that I like.
There is a fanmade one for Half-Life series called “Escape from City 17” on You-Tube,it is an excellent short and the brothers doing it have made 2. They are excellent at showing the possibilities of this form of media.
Man, Katezenberg really loved Heisenberg.
vince gilligan should’ve done it and made the following episodes:
walt makes a sandwich and eats it for an hour.
walt watches the first hour of mr. magorium
walt watches the last half hour of mr. magorium and reflects on it
for the next half hour.
there you go, 75 million bucks.
Reblogged this on FilmBliss.
Katzenberg was going to charge audiences $30 to watch three hours of “Breaking Bad”? So, $10/episode?? Hey, at least we’d have had the pleasure of watching each episode split up into tiny chunks over 10 days. What a tool.
Split up into 10 episodes, you mean like commercial breaks?
While the integrity of Vince Gilligan & Company made the offer superfluous, Mr. Katzenberg sees a probable future a new form of television. Another opportunity will come along, and it will be well worth exploring.
Katzenberg Offered to Pay $75 million for Three Extra ‘Breaking Bad’ Episodes
I have a better idea. Go take that $75 million and figure out what’s wrong with Dreamworks Pictures/TV and Dreamworks Animation.
if Katzenberg can make it work, and people like it, more power to him. If people don’t like it, then maybe Vince G. & Co can give the money to charity… and Katz… gambled 75 mill on a duck. Good luck to ya.
It’s a really interesting idea. I hope the “More to Come” includes what the reaction at Showtime/BREAKING BAD was. Not sure if the $ payoff would be enough to convince someone like them to surrender IP.
Mr. Katzenberg is certainly a maverick in this industry. It feels like a cheap stunt – and unnecessary for a man of his standing – to attach himself to the success of others by throwing some arbitrary money into the ring.
How about a Breaking Bad live variety hour with skits, singing, dancing, and guest appearances!
And the always beautiful Breaking Bad dancers, straight from Las Vegas! Weeeeee!
That is brilliant and VERY FUNNY!
The Breaking Bad Dancers Live From Vegas.
Still laughing because the shoe fits that foot and the added humor is appropriate.
I love the idea! Maybe even do a breaking bad Christmas special.