Few actors in recent years have shown the range as Bob Odenkirk. Initially beginning in sketchy comedy, Odenkirk transitioned into drama with his role as Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad and its prequel, Better Call Saul. Odenkirk filled Saul with a surprising amount of emotional depth, showing his acting chops and proving that he belongs in the drama world.
Odenkirk also has a compelling filmography outside of Better Call Saul, both before and after his involvement in the hit series, as well as its predecessor, Breaking Bad. Over the course of a long film career dating back to the early 1990s, the Chicago-born actor has held a wide range of roles, both minor and major.
More often than not, Bob Odenkirk’s roles were small for the early part of his career, but gradually, as he developed a greater degree of prominence, particularly after Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul elevated him to new levels of popularity, the actor has accumulated an impressive list of acting credits that gives his fans quite a lot to choose from.
Dabbling in a lost list of genres, he’s made a number of noteworthy films, including dramas, dark comedies, and action flicks. Many of his performances, admittedly, differ considerably from what fans of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul may be accustomed to after years of watching him play Saul Goodman.
But while films like The Incredibles 2, Boulevard, and The Brothers Solomon may all fit within that category, there are plenty of other Bob Odenkirk movies that would scratch that itch for those looking for anything reminiscent of his work on Better Call Saul.
Nobody (2021)
Nobody arrived in theaters just as the world began to reopen after COVID-19-inflicted lockdowns and gained traction on VOD especially. If Better Call Saul highlighted Odenkirk’s ability to own a dramatic character, Nobody received generally positive reviews proved he could be the unlikely lead of an action franchise.
Nobody is directed by Ilya Naishuller, with Odenkirk playing Hutch Mansell, a seemingly conventional and dull suburban dad whose secret past comes back to haunt him. Odenkirk is initially restrained and mild-mannered, but when his family is threatened, he bursts into a brutal hitman that is willing to (and capable of) taking down anyone in his path.
The appeal for Better Call Saul fans lies in several key areas. For one, Nobody features a shady and corrupt criminal underworld, just as the Breaking Bad universe does. Both stories highlight henchmen, gang bosses, and the dangers of defying orders given by the most powerful and wealthy. Additionally, Hutch and Saul share plenty of interesting similarities as well, adding to the appeal for Better Call Saul fans.
Hutch exists as almost an inverse of Saul. The Nobody character harbors a darkness underneath, appearing as a mild-mannered father but capable of causing chaos and destruction at a moment’s notice. Saul, meanwhile, is someone who presents an outer layer of darkness, fully willing to work with drug lords and criminals. However, underneath, Saul is much softer and sensitive than expected, as the prequel series highlights.
The Post (2017)
Steven Spielberg’s The Post is a very different movie, and a very different Odenkirk performance, than Nobody. Yet, it still holds many of the same core themes that make Better Call Saul special, so it shouldn’t be skipped over.
Featuring a cast that includes Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, The Post focuses on The Washington Post’s publishing of the Pentagon Papers. Odenkirk appears as a journalist navigating the fine line between pressure in the political space and ensuring that he follows the ethical guidelines of being a journalist.
Odenkirk is a supporting player in this film as opposed to Better Call Saul, but fans of the series may appreciate the relative subtlety of his performance. Both his character and the film more broadly explore themes such as moral ambiguity and doing the right thing, two elements that are rooted deep in Saul Goodman as well.
Normal (2026)
Normal premiered at various film festivals last year and in 2026, with a theatrical release planned for April 2026. The story follows Odenkirk, playing a newly appointed sheriff of a small town, as he uncovers evidence of corruption and criminal activities within the area.
Like Better Call Saul, Normal begins with a relatively simple premise, before diving deep into the criminal underworld.
Here, Odenkirk is investigating a crime before finding something much, much deeper. As Saul, Odenkirk begins as an ambitious young lawyer, only to then find himself in bed with local drug dealers and crime lords. Like Better Call Saul, Normal is deeply character-focused, relying heavily on Odenkirk’s performance.
Nebraska (2013)
Nebraska is a film that sums up Bob Odenkirk extremely well. He plays the son of an aging man who is set on claiming a sweepstakes prize in the state of Nebraska. It’s a deeply personal story with an oddball sense of humor, while still having a darker underbelly that occasionally rears its head. Odenkirk excels at combining wacky comedy with drama, so this film is a good representation of who he is as an actor.
This film will appeal to Better Call Saul fans for many reasons. For one, it’s all in black and white, not unlike the flash-forward scenes in the show, which were also set in Nebraska. Both this film and the series have a quiet, unspoken nature about them, again relying on the performances of their lead actors and asking audiences to remain patient.
Additionally, Better Call Saul (and Breaking Bad) both have a unique sense of humor, most of which comes from Odenkirk himself. Nebraska embodies that comedy well, meaning that it slides in quite nicely as a companion piece to Better Call Saul.
Nobody 2 (2025)
Rounding out the list is Nobody 2, the 2025 film made to capitalize on the success of the original movie. Nobody 2 shows Hutch as more unhinged, lashing out against those around him while his family is on vacation.
Better Call Saul fans will enjoy this film as it builds off of the first, which, as stated, has many similarities with Odenkirk’s most famous title. This time around, Hutch is more dangerous and deadly, which is a similar arc to Saul Goodman, who got deeper and deeper into the world of crime as time went on.
Nobody 2 shows Hutch as he unravels, giving in to old habits and becoming the man he didn’t want to be. Again, this mirrors Saul Goodman, as the lawyer is shown in Better Call Saul to have genuinely good intentions at times but, for various reasons, ends up ignoring his instincts and becoming someone else entirely. This is summed up by his name change, as Saul began his life as Jimmy McGill before succumbing to his desires and changing his name as a way to reflect that.
Ultimately, Nobody 2 isn’t as successful as its predecessor, in part because its similarities to Better Call Saul are dumbed down (although still very much present). The criminal underworld from the first film takes a bit of a backseat, with the story instead focusing on a smuggling operation in a small town. It’s still interesting, and still very much Better Call Saul-coded, and extremely entertaining, but not quite as compelling as the first film.
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