Prime Video finds its Phoebe Waller-Bridge replacement in Mr and Mrs Smith reboot

Showmax
Maya Erskine, pictured on the left (Image credit: Showmax)

Prime Video's new TV adaptation of hit action-comedy Mr and Mrs Smith has a new Mrs Smith. 

When it was first announced in February 2021 that the 2005 movie, which starred Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, was being taken to TV by Prime Video, the news was accompanied by confirmation that Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge would be taking the title roles. 

Glover has remained on board, but Waller-Bridge departed the project in September 2021, citing creative differences. 

The question of her replacement has been the subject of intense speculation, but a name has now been confirmed by Glover himself.

Speaking to Interview Magazine, the Atlanta star revealed that Maya Erskine, who is best known for her role as Maya Ishii-Peters in hit Hulu comedy Pen15, will play opposite him. 

Glover said of the casting: "She's dope. It’s exciting. I really love the show. I’m writing the finale now."

On Waller-Bridge's departure, Glover simply put the reasoning down to "classic creative differences." 

Mr and Mrs Smith starred Pitt and Jolie as a married couple going through difficulties. As far as both characters are aware, John Smith is a construction executive and Jane is a tech support consultant. However, the pair quickly discover that they are both assassins, belonging to competing agencies, who have been assigned to kill each other.

The film was a box office hit, taking in almost $500 million. While no sequel was ever green-lit, writer Simon Kinberg wrote a spin-off for TV back in 2007, though it never got beyond the pilot stage. 

For the reboot, Glover, who has an overall deal with Amazon, is the project's co-creator, writer and executive producer. 

There is no release date for the series as yet. 

Tom Goodwyn
Freelance Entertainment Writer

Tom Goodwyn was formerly TechRadar's Senior Entertainment Editor. He's now a freelancer writing about TV shows, documentaries and movies across streaming services, theaters and beyond. Based in East London, he loves nothing more than spending all day in a movie theater, well, he did before he had two small children…