Aaron Paul, who has made a name for himself as Jesse Pinkman on AMC’s Breaking Bad, is the newest name attached to the film adaptation of the novel Long Way Down by Nick Hornby. According to Deadline, the film – which is being directed by Pascal Chaumeil – will begin shooting in London this September for a 2013 release date.
Previous Nick Hornby adaptations have served as excellent showcases for acting talent, from John Cusack in High Fidelity to Hugh Grant in About A Boy, which also acted as a launching pad for Nicholas Hoult.
Considering the acting chops that Paul has put on display through four-plus seasons of Breaking Bad, there’s no reason to expect that this won’t act in a similar capacity for him. Given that this is a tale about a group of suicidal people meeting on a rooftop on New Year’s Eve, and it co-stars Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette and Imogen Poots, the odds are equally good that this will be a compelling film.
The transition from successful TV career to film is always a dicey proposition, especially since most TV careers can be built around a single roll. Personally, though, I think that Paul has what it takes to become a dynamic film presence.
What do you think? Excited to see Paul on the big screen?