Notable Hollywood creation ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ has earned its unique status as a hit action movie of the last few decades without a cinematic sequel. Directed by Doug Liman, this thrilling film shines thanks to the magnetic synergy between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Despite earning nearly half a billion dollars worldwide and fostering numerous sequel discussions, the movie never received an official sequel or cinematic spinoff.
Key Takeaways:
– The hit movie ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ is not based on previous TV shows of the same name as commonly believed.
– Screenwriter Simon Kinberg penned ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ as his graduate thesis, drawing inspiration from couples therapy anecdotes.
– After many casting considerations, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were finally chosen as leading actors, leading to an off-screen romantic relationship.
– The movie involved several script rewrites, alternative endings, and even had spicy scenes edited out to retain a PG-13 rating.
– Despite grossing nearly half a billion dollars and spurring sequel discussions, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ has had a challenging journey, but finally found a new home at Amazon Prime Video in 2024
The Production Journey Begins
Incredibly, Simon Kinberg, an MFA student at Columbia University, began writing the screenplay for ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ as his graduate thesis. Kinberg was inspired by his friends’ accounts of their couples therapy experiences. He envisioned an interesting dynamic of a relationship within an action film, which eventually led to the conception of the popular movie.
Navigating Rough Casting Waters
Securing Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as leading actors resulted from a tumultuous casting process involving names like Nicole Kidman, Will Smith, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Johnny Depp, and Cate Blanchett. When Kidman exited due to her commitments to ‘The Stepford Wives’, Pitt also backed out, causing the producers to scramble for suitable replacements. Eventually, Angelina Jolie’s casting revived Pitt’s interest, leading to their iconic on-screen and off-screen partnership.
Behind the Scenes Twists and Turns
In a trajectory full of twists and turns, nearly 50 drafts of Kinberg’s original script were made, involving contributions from prominent writers like Carrie Fisher and Terence Winter. Multiple endings were filmed, with high-profile European actors cast as villains and even the climax receiving several iterations. Interestingly, the $110 million budget movie’s filming schedule had to accommodate Pitt’s involvement in ‘Ocean’s Twelve’, requiring him to juggle between two high-profile projects.
Production Controversies and Deletions
Controversies and deletions were also no strangers to ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’. A risky love scene between Pitt and Jolie caught the attention of the film Board, leading to its exclusion to keep a PG-13 rating. Both Pitt and Jolie also improvised some scenes, showcasing their professional prowess and ability to elevate the film through unexpected instances.
Achievements and Controversies
Following its release in 2005, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ enjoyed critical and commercial success, grossing over $487 million worldwide. However, a plagiarism accusation by New Zealand author Gavin Bishop in 2006 somewhat tarnished the movie’s reputation. He claimed that his 1997 book “The Secret Lives of Mr. & Mrs. Smith” possessed an eerily similar plot, leading to a threatened lawsuit.
Journey to the Small Screen
Despite the tumultuous journey, the popular action flick found a new home on Amazon Prime Video in 2024. Starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, the show introduced the thrilling romantic drama to a new generation. Garnering better reviews than previous iterations, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ continues to weave its magic even decades after its initial release, proving once again that the iconic story has timeless appeal.
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