Amazon Prime Video are reportedly on the quest to find a new leading lady for the film-to-series adaption of Mr And Mrs Smith, following news that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has quit due to ‘creative differences’ with co-star Donald Glover.
The actress, 36, decided to leave the adaptation of the 2005 film – which she was also set to executive produce – according to Hollywood Reporter.
The publication said on Monday: ‘Sources say that the Fleabag Emmy winner had a different creative vision for the series than Donald Glover, with whom she was poised to star alongside.’
Swift exit: Phoebe Waller-Bridge has reportedly quit the Amazon Prime Video adaption of Mr And Mrs Smith due to ‘creative differences’ with co-star Donald Glover (pictured in 2017)
‘Waller-Bridge and Glover remain friends following what was described as an amicable split.
‘Waller-Bridge’s role will now be recast as the series remains on track for a 2022 debut.’
According to the insider, writing for the show is currently underway with filming expected to begin in 2022.
Representatives for Phoebe and Donald have been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.
Phoebe and Donald previously worked together on the 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story, and were set to play assassins John Smith and Jane Smith.
Split: The actress, 36, allegedly decided to leave the upcoming show – which she was also set to executive produce – while her former co-star remains co-creator, exec producer and actor (pictured in 2019)
Inspiration: The original Mr And Mrs Smith in 2005 – starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – was a blockbuster hit, grossing more than $487 million worldwide
Donald proposed the reimagining of Mr And Mrs Smith through a TV series to Amazon, and he remains as co-creator, exec producer and starring actor.
Francesca Sloane joined forces with the the star as co-creator and she will also fulfil the role of executive producer and showrunner on the upcoming programme.
New Regency chairman Yariv Milchan and film producer Michael Schaefer are also poised as exec producers.
The original Mr And Mrs Smith in 2005 – starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – was a blockbuster hit, grossing more than $487 million worldwide.
Moving on: Hollywood Reporter said on Monday: ‘Sources say that the Fleabag Emmy winner had a different creative vision for the series than Donald Glover’ (pictured in Fleabag in 2016)
The American crime comedy followed a suburban couple whose marriage ventured into troubled waters when they realised they were both secret assassins with respective new missions to murder each other.
When they are both assigned to kill the same target, Benjamin Danz (Adam Brody), the truth comes to the surface.
Finally free from their cover stories, they discover that they have been assigned to kill each other, sparking a series of explosive attacks.
Despite leaving the series adaptation, Phoebe isn’t short of new jobs or pay cheques as it was reported earlier in September that her company PMWB has raked in £10.7 million in just eight months so far in 2021 – a rate of £29,315 a day.
The actress and writer has gone from Fleabag to moneybags, and registered the huge turnover in her company PMWB Limited.
Phoebe also helps write Killing Eve, has a deal with Amazon and is one of the hottest properties in showbiz – as revealed in her company earnings.
Left on good terms: The source continued: ‘Waller-Bridge and Glover remain friends following what was described as an amicable split’ (pictured together in 2019)
PMWB made a massive £11.4 million in her last full year of trading, from 2019-20.
Phoebe paid herself £1.4 million pounds in dividends between April last year and the end of November, the paperwork shows.
The combined figures mean the company, which handles income from ‘motion picture and television programme production’ has turned over more than £22 million in just 20 months.
After creditors and other payments were settled the company still has a retained fortune of £11.8 million including £6.6 million in cash and £2.7 million in investments.
Modestly the accounts state: ‘The director considers that the results for the period and the financial position at the end of the year were satisfactory.’
Phoebe is the sole director and the documents state that she also paid herself a £33,000 salary and the company had to pay a £1.3 million corporation tax bill.
The accounts show there are three employees – two ‘creative executives’ and one in administration – who earn a combined £571,273 including pension payments.
Meanwhile Donald has his hands full and is currently in postproduction for the third season of the FX show, Atlanta. He has also written the scripts for the upcoming fourth season.
Phoebe is also one of four credited screenwriters on the upcoming 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, which will finally be released later this month after a series of pandemic-related delays.
The Fleabag creator, whose Amazon Prime Video series picked up six Primetime Emmy Award wins last year, was brought onto the film back in 2019 at the behest of star Daniel Craig.
No Time to Die will be the first Bond film to come out in the era of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.
‘They were just looking for tweaks across a few of the characters and a few of the storylines,’ she said at the time.
On the way: According to the insider, writing for the show is currently underway with filming expected to begin in 2022 (still from the 2005 film)
