Giancarlo Esposito’s Gus Fring Returns to ‘Better Call Saul’ for Season 3

Gus Fring’s back — with an intact face, sunny attitude and tasty curly fries!

AMC confirmed Saturday at the Television Critics Association press tour that Breaking Bad’s fried-chicken peddler and ruthless meth king — memorably played by Giancarlo Esposito — would indeed become part of the Better Call Saul universe.

Esposito’s addition to the Saul cast and story were hinted at when fans noticed the first letters of Season 2 episode titles spelled “FRING’S BACK.” There was also an Easter egg in the season finale, when Mike Ehrmentraut (Jonathan Banks) received an ominous warning not to take out sociopathic cartel boss Hector Salamanca (Mark Margolis).

“It’s really great to be back with such a great family of filmmakers,” Esposito told reporters. He jokingly recounted how negotiations to bring him into the Saul story were stalled after he suggested to series’ creator Vince Gilligan that “it would be wonderful to me to realize a show called the “Rise of Gus.”

And while Esposito welcomed returning to the role, he said he had to remind himself that Fring is “a little more immature than where he left off—both as a business owner and within the cartel.”

More good news for Breaking Bad fans who made the migration to Saul: AMC also promises more backstories “further illuminated by meaningful nods to the Breaking Bad universe.”

Better Call Saul, Season 3 premiere, April 10, 10/9c, AMC