Phoebe Waller-Bridge Reportedly Left Amazon’s ‘Mr. + Mrs. Smith’ Series Over Creative Differences With Donald Glover

Whatever Amazon’s Mr. + Mrs. Smith reboot will look like, it won’t involve Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Reports Monday indicated the Killing Eve creator is out of the show she was creating with Donald Glover, but the series will continue on as planned.

The Hollywood Reporter indicated Monday that Waller-Bridge and Glover weren’t seeing eye to eye about the “creative vision” of the show, so the former has left the project to pursue other interests.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge has exited the straight-to-series adaptation of the Brad Pitt-Angelina Jolie 2005 New Regency film. 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.

Glover, who came up with the idea and brought it to his friend and Solo: A Star Wars Story co-star, remains attached as co-creator, exec producer and star.

Casting changes aren’t usually significant news, especially in the early stages of shows. But the matching of Waller-Bridge and Glover came with some considerable fanfare, including a video tease simultaneously published to their respective social media accounts. Which is why reports of “creative” differences between the two are even more surprising.

Still, the report indicated that the two remained friends despite the working relationship issues, and neither of their considerable deals with Amazon seem to be impacted here. The recasting hasn’t impacted its expected arrival in the new year, either.

Sources say 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. Writing on the series is currently under way, with production expected to also begin next year.

It’s not exactly like Waller-Bridge will be looking for busywork, as she’s still creating Killing Eve and involved in the new Indiana Jones movie. Meanwhile, Glover is still hard at work on the next season of Atlanta. But for fans of both TV powerhouses, they will alway wonder what could have been with the pair making Mr. + Mrs. Smith.

[via THR]