EXCLUSIVE UPDATED: The mystery of who survived the gunfight in Mr. & Mrs. Smith Season 1 finale cliffhanger will remain unsolved for the time being. Production on Season 2 of Prime Video‘s popular series has been pushed, with its future uncertain, sources tell Deadline. The delay is due to cast issues, I hear.
Anora‘s Mark Eydelshteyn and Yellowjackets‘ Sophie Thatcher were cast as Season 2’s eponymous Mr. and Mrs. Smith in December and February, respectively.
On March 31, the Amazon MGM Studios-produced show received a $22.4M tax credit from the California Film Commission for the second season to relocate to Los Angeles from New York where the first installment was filmed.
A flurry of activity followed, with Lily-Rose Depp, Francesca Scorsese, Levon Hawke, Wagner Moura, Gael Garcia Bernal all rumored for guest star/recurring roles over the summer.
But neither was ever confirmed as sources say deals have not closed, and the new season, initially eying a fall production start, is now on indefinite hold, I hear. New Regency, which co-produces the series with Amazon MGM Studios, hopes to start pre-production at the end of the year for a 2026 shoot, sources said.
Amid the delay, Mr. & Mrs. Smith showrunner Francesca Sloane, who created and executive produces the series with Donald Glover, just moved to HBO with an overall deal and will write the opening episode of Big Little Lies Season 3.
A rep for Amazon declined comment.
The delay could impact Mr. & Mrs. Smith‘s California tax incentive as projects have to film within 18 months of getting awarded the credit. There is still time. Additionally, major series, especially relocating ones, tend to get a new credit should they miss the window of eligibility on their original one.
Season 1 of Mr. and Mrs. Smith followed two lonely strangers (Glover, Maya Erskine) who have to pose as a married couple as they both begin new careers as spies, taking on new aliases, Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. The season ended with John and Jane getting into a gunfight, leaving it unclear whether they survive.
Amazon and the show creators have remained mum on the creative plan for the series, which is based on the New Regency-produced 2005 movie starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, though one-year deals for the leads point to a potential anthology format with a different story and largely different characters each season.
Season 1 premiered in February and became a Top 5 new series debut for Prime Video in the United States at that time. It landed 16 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Lead Actor/Actress In a Drama Series for Glover and Erskine, winning two trophies, including Guest Actress In A Drama Series for Michaela Coel.