To say 2021 has been eventful for Armie Hammer would be an understatement. The Social Network actor started off the year dealing with text messages being leaked to the public where he expressed cannibalistic sexual fantasies, and earlier this month, he was accused of sexual assault. These personal incidents have also impacted his professional life, and that includes dropping off another movie.
Back in October, it was announced that Armie Hammer would star opposite Fantastic Beasts 3 actor Mads Mikkelsen in Billion Dollar Spy. Fast-forward five months, Variety reports that Hammer has exited the Cold War drama that will be directed by Amma Asante. Neither Asante nor Walden Media, the company behind Billion Dollar Spy, didn’t comment further, but this news follows just a few weeks after a woman accused Hammer of violently raping her in 2017.
Billion Dollar Spy would have seen Armie Hammer playing Brad Reid, who arrives at the CIA’s Moscow station and strikes up a friendship with Mads Mikkelsen’s Adolf Tolkachev, a Soviet engineer. The two men form a strong bond, and Reid faith in Tolkachev is rewarded when he hands over a treasure trove of military secrets, resulting in Tolkachev earning the nickname “The Billion Dollar Spy,” and his actions altering the power balance between the East and West. Billion Dollar hasn’t begun production yet, so there’s still plenty of time for the creative minds behind the movie to find Hammer’s replacement, although there was no mention of anyone being specifically looked at.
This is the second movie Armie Hammer has dropped out of since 2021 began, as he’s also no longer participating in the action rom-com Shotgun Wedding. Following Hammer’s exit from that project, Jupiter’s Legacy actor Josh Duhamel was tapped to take over the role, and he’ll star opposite Jennifer Lopez. Hammer has also departed the Paramount+ series The Offer, where he was set to play The Godfather producer Al Ruddy.
This now also means that Armie Hammer is no longer part of any movies that are in active development. With Crisis having come out back in February, he’s next slated to appear in Next Goal Wins and Death on the Nile, but both those movies finished filming a while ago. There was also talk about Hammer reuniting with Timothee Chalamet and director Luca Guadagnino for a Call Me By Your Name sequel, but that hasn’t been given the green light and reportedly doesn’t even have a script.
In addition to this professional fallout (which also includes talent agency WME cutting ties with him), Armie Hammer is currently under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department for sexual assault. We’ll keep you apprised on what’s happening with the actor as more details come in. For now, Death on the Nile is slated for a February 11, 2022 release, and Next Goal Wins is currently undated.
