Bob Odenkirk Wants To Keep Making More Action Movies Like ‘Nobody’

Comedic actor Bob Odenkirk, best known for HBO‘s mature sketch series “Mr. Show,” got a second wind in his career sail when he played slimeball criminal lawyer Saul Goodman on the series “Breaking Bad.” That led to his own prequel series “Better Call Saul,” exploring Goodman’s transformation to courting the underworld. During the filming of the latter, the actor collapsed from a heart attack and Odkenkirk believes his intense training for his action film “Nobody” directly saved his life, as he revealed when talking to Howard Stern earlier in the year.

With “Better Call Saul” all wrapped up, the actor seems keen to keep dabbling in the action genre moving forward.

Odenkirk recently spoke with Deadline at the Venice Film Festival and has signaled that he has a desire to keep making action films similar to his action flick “Nobody.” Odenkirk cited his love for action star Jackie Chan and his early films, arguably the best example of the action comedy genre going back to the 1980s, a clear sign Odenkirk wants to keep kicking ass on the big screen.

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“I was very surprised by ‘Nobody.’ I had initiated that project because I had a feeling that the character I was developing in ‘Better Call Saul’ was the kind of character you see in an action film. He has earnest desires and he was willing to sacrifice himself…I still train multiple times a week and if I get my way you’re going to see me doing more action. I found the action sequences a great deal of fun and close to doing sketch comedy…I love the early Jackie Chan films which had humor in them. I’d like to get that in future.”

That aforementioned film was produced by David Leitch (“Bullet Train,” “Atomic Blonde“) and helmed by Russian filmmaker Ilya Naishuller (“Hardcore Henry“) with Odenkirk playing a mild-mannered family man living in the suburbs who has been hiding lethal skills that are unleashed against Russian gangsters.

We already have an idea of what one future project could be. Last month, Leitch teased to Collider that a “Nobody” sequel is in early development with a script being written and that would likely see Odenkirk back as Hutch. Also, a connection to Leitch could hypothetically see him join the “John Wick” universe at some point with “John Wick 5” and Ana De Armas‘ spinoff “Ballerina” on the docket, allowing for Odenkirk to stretch his action legs beyond “Nobody 2.”

Will we see Odenkirk transition into the next Liam Neeson? Only time will tell.