"Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" is a go at AMC

"Breaking Bad" may be ending, but AMC is moving forward with a spinoff tentatively titled "Better Call Saul," about popular character Saul Goodman.

In a joint statement, AMC and Sony Entertainment Pictures said "plans call for Saul to be a one-hour prequel that will focus on the evolution of the popular Saul Goodman character before he ever became Walter White's lawyer."

Bob Odenkirk is expected to star after playing Saul on "Breaking Bad" for several seasons. Writer-producer Peter Gould created the Saul character back in season two, and is set to run the show.

"Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan planned the spinoff with Gould, and said in July that it was his "fervent wish" the spinoff move forward. Odenkirk said at the time "I'd do it in a second."

The network and studio ended weeks of negotiations to move the project forward, but a formal series order won't come until Gould, Gilligan and Odenkirk have finalized contract negotiations.

AMC's critically-acclaimed and widely-viewed dark hit stars Bryan Cranston as a science teacher who begins cooking meth after a terminal cancer diagnosis. "Breaking Bad" will end its run in less than a month after five seasons.