Move over, Brangelina: Donald Glover and Maya Erskine are starring in a new television version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith based on the 2005 film of the same name.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starred as the titular married spies in the OG spy thriller. Their chemistry in the film was off the charts, and the twosome began dating one year after meeting on set. (Pitt was infamously still married to Jennifer Aniston when he met Jolie.)
Pitt and Jolie went on to tie the knot in 2014 before calling it quits in 2016. The exes — who share children Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 18, Shiloh, 17, and Vivienne and Knox, both 15 — were declared legally single in 2019 but continued to battle for custody of their younger kids.
Glover and Erskine, meanwhile, are saving the drama for the screen.
Keep scrolling for everything we know about the Mr. and Mrs. Smith show so far:
When Is ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ Coming Out?
The TV adaptation is slated to be released on February 2, 2024.
Who Is in the Cast of ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Glover and Erskine will portray John and Jane Smith, respectively, with stars including Parker Posey, Michaela Coel, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, John Turturro and Alexander Skarsgård rounding out the cast.
Who Created ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Glover cocreated the series with Francesca Sloane. The pair previously collaborated on the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta. In addition to their roles as creators, Glover and Sloane serve as writers and producers for Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
What Has Donald Glover Said About ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Glover noted during a November 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly that the forthcoming series “gives you a different feeling” than the original movie.
The actor admitted that he didn’t “understand” Mr. and Mrs. Smith when he first watched the film, and he wanted the show to take a deeper look at the institution of marriage.
“Why do people even get married anymore? Half of it ends in divorce — what’s the purpose?” Glover said. “Let’s make a show dealing with relationships, but from this point of view, centering more on really what a marriage is and trust and teamwork and loneliness and all that stuff. I just wanted it to be something that spoke to people right now because in a time of abundance, why do we feel lonely?”
While Glover might not be a die-hard fan of the 2005 flick, he acknowledged that the new show has big shoes to fill.
“I just know how much people love the other one. So, if everybody’s like, ‘Eh,’ we didn’t do a good job,” he said. “I hope some people are like, ‘This is better than the original,’ and some people are like, ‘This is far worse.’”
What Is ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ About?
In Mr. and Mrs. Smith the movie, the protagonists are a married couple who don’t know that they’re both spies for rival agencies. The drama begins when they’re tasked with assassinating each other.
The TV version will take a different approach, following two strangers (Glover and Erskine) who sign up for a mysterious spy agency only to find out that they must take on the identities of a married couple.
Is There a Trailer for ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Yes, the trailer dropped in December 2023. In the action-packed teaser, Glover and Erskine run away from explosions, drive a getaway car and ride in a helicopter looking bruised and bloody. They also lie to their couple’s therapist (Paulson) about their occupations and make small talk over coffee.
“I should be clear, I’m not in this for the romance,” Erskine tells Glover in the clip.
Is There Improv in ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
During a joint January 2024 interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Glover and Erskine shared how improvisation shaped the show.
“There was a lot of improvisation with the arguments,” said Glover.
“We would have the script and a spine and then go off of it sometimes because we would bring in our own techniques of arguing,” Erskine chimed in.
The costars also noted that the improv got easier as they got to know each other better.
“To believably create chemistry, I mean it was a lot of work. I had to journal about Donald and do, like, dream analysis,” Erskine joked before admitting it was actually “easy” to have onscreen chemistry with Glover.
“I feel the same way,” Glover agreed. “I feel like I’ve known Maya way longer than we’ve actually known each other.”
Why Did Phoebe Waller-Bridge Leave ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Waller-Bridge was originally set to play Mrs. Smith and serve as an executive producer before she exited the project due to creative differences.
“I worked on that show for six months fully in heart and mind and really cared about it — still care about it,” the Fleabag star told Vanity Fair in June 2023. “And I know it’s gonna be brilliant. But sometimes it’s about knowing when to leave the party. You don’t want to get in the way of a vision. Creative collaboration is like a marriage, and some marriages don’t work out.”
Erskine stepped into the role in Waller-Bridge’s place. In November 2023, she told EW that she wanted to play up the differences between herself and Jolie.
“I tend to play characters that feel like rejects of society, and my Jane felt like it was the reject version of Angelina Jolie,” Erskine said. “It wouldn’t ever be her. It could never be.”
Where Can You Watch ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’?
Mr. and Mrs. Smith will stream on Prime Video.
