Last February, Amazon announced a television reboot of the 2005 movie Mr. And Mrs. Smith. The Internet immediately went berserk, especially when Donald Glover (Atlanta, Solo: A Star Wars Story) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) were reported to be taking over the roles originally played by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Unfortunately for fans who wanted to see what would have been a legendary pairing, one of the leads just left the project.
Deadline has confirmed that Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who received three Primetime Emmy Awards for Fleabag, has officially left the production of Mr. And Mrs. Smith. While Donald Glover originally brought the project to Phoebe Waller-Bridge after meeting on the set of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the duo seemed to develop differing ideas regarding the show’s creative direction. Luckily, there’s no bad blood, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming that the split was ‘amicable.’ While Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s role will have to be recast, the show is still on track to premiere in 2022.
This is far from the end for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, however: she will continue to generate content for Amazon Prime after signing an exclusive production deal. She also co-wrote the script for the next James Bond movie No Time to Die, which will make her the second woman to ever write a Bond film. No Time to Die will also mark the fifth appearance of Daniel Craig as the titular superspy. In addition to writing, Phoebe Waller-Bridge will also get the chance to flex her acting chops in the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones film alongside Harrison Ford, Mads Mikkelson, and Antonio Banderas.
While it’s sad to see Phoebe Waller-Bridge go, Amazon’s Mr. And Mrs. Smith still has the odds in its favor. Donald Glover is still on board as co-creator, executive producer, and leading man after signing a general production deal with Amazon. In addition, writer and producer Francesa Sloane (Atlanta, Fargo) will act as showrunner and executive producer. There’s no word yet on who will replace Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but the search is underway.
The original Mr. And Mrs. Smith, directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow), told the story of Jane and John Smith, a seemingly boring couple with a dangerous secret: they’re assassins working for rival organizations. To make matters worse, they’ve been hired to kill each other. While the action comedy received mixed reviews from critics, it was a commercial success and proved to be exceedingly popular with audiences.
While there’s no exact premiere date for Mr. And Mrs. Smith, it’s projected to be released exclusively on Amazon Prime sometime in 2022. In the meantime, you can rent the original on Amazon Prime or Apple+.
