Bob Odenkirk Says He Made Nobody to Wow His SNL Pals — Teases a Bleaker Third Installment
Zoe Bennett: The facts matter. Let’s break down what we know and why Bob Odenkirk’s confess-and-conquer strategy for Nobody matters to both fans and Hollywood.
Bob Odenkirk, the 62-year-old actor best known for Better Call Saul and his long history with Saturday Night Live, has admitted that one motivating force behind his 2021 action hit Nobody was pure peer pressure from his old SNL colleagues. Speaking on Conan O’Brien’s podcast, Odenkirk said he pushed himself physically during training with one aim in mind: to blow his friends’ minds. He specifically name-checked Conan O’Brien, Robert Smigel, Adam Sandler, and David Spade as people he imagined watching him flip from comedic writer to hard-nosed action lead.
Odenkirk’s revelation is notable on several counts. First, it gives context to an atypical late-career pivot: an actor in his 60s trading in his comic-writer persona for bone-crunching stunt work. Second, it offers a window into industry social capital — how professional relationships and peer approval can influence career risk-taking. Odenkirk’s comment that he thought of Spade “a lot” while training underlines the personal element that can drive creative choices, not just box-office logic.
Conan O’Brien, who Odenkirk named among the motivated spectators, confirmed his surprise at the actor’s prowess. On the podcast, Conan admitted he didn’t expect much when Odenkirk initially mentioned the project, but after seeing the film he was impressed and even asked for a cameo in the sequel. Nobody 2 premiered August 15, and although Conan didn’t land a role, his request underscores the crossover appeal Nobody achieved with audiences who knew Odenkirk primarily as a comedian.
From a storytelling angle, the Nobody franchise follows Hutch Mansell, an outwardly average family man with a hidden assassin past. The first film’s success hinged on that contrast: an everyman unleashing contained rage in service of protecting family. The sequel reportedly continues immediately after the original, escalating stakes as Hutch takes his family on what should have been a restorative vacation. Instead, they encounter a corrupt theme-park operator, a shady sheriff, and a violent crime boss, forcing Hutch back into violent action to save them.
Odenkirk has not only reflected on motivations; he has hinted at tonal shifts for the franchise. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, he floated the idea of a third film that ends darker: a version of Hutch who “burned everything he loved” and is left with nothing. Odenkirk framed the violence as dual-purpose entertainment and catharsis — a fantasy outlet for classical male rage — but he also questioned its sustainability, calling it an addiction. That ambivalence suggests any forthcoming Nobody 3 might trade pure action thrills for a more morally complex, possibly tragic resolution.
Industry implications are worth noting. Nobody’s success challenges ageist assumptions about action leads and suggests that star reinvention can be commercially viable when combined with sharp marketing and credible stunt work. Odenkirk’s conversion from SNL writer and comic actor to legitimate action star highlights how reputation, peer prestige, and targeted audience curiosity can power a film’s trajectory.
What to watch next: will the franchise continue to mine action catharsis or pivot into darker territory? And will Odenkirk’s SNL cohort finally get their cameos — or at least a chance to publicly marvel? Either way, Odenkirk has turned a personal wager into a multi-film franchise with room for both spectacle and introspection.
That wraps up today’s analysis. Stay informed, stay critical, and follow the facts.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, Associated Press, New York Post
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
