Walter White has helped Sony and AMC make out like bandits.
“Breaking Bad,” which ends its 5-season run Sunday, has helped fill numerous lockers with cash for both companies.
Sony Pictures TV, which owns the franchise, has sold the TV show in 200 countries, and there are plans to remake the shocking drug-themed drama for Spanish language station Univision.
Our international TV contacts suggest that the show may have banked as much as $300 million just in straight sales of Season 1.
For AMC, the benefit has been just as positive, though more difficult to quantify.
While “Breaking Bad” isn’t the only hot show on AMC, ad revenue rose from $214 million, to $311 million, between 2011 when it went public and 2013.
Advertisers have also flocked to the show about a science teacher turned meth maker. “Breaking Bad” attracted just 24 advertisers in Season 1, while 60 companies have jumped on the Season 5 bandwagon.
And let’s not forget how many people turned to Netflix to catch up on all the seasons they missed.
One indication of how much more popular the show got between Seasons 4 and 5: Facebook likes jumped from 1.38 million, to 5.6 million.
We’re sure Walter and Jesse will be breaking records as well as hearts when Nielsen numbers come out Monday and the series ends its run.