Tom Hardy‘s ousting from “MobLand” has seemingly taken a more complicated turn as reports suggest Paramount+ is now sizing up a possible replacement for him.
This comes amid reports that the actor has not been completely shut out from the hit series, and that there’s still a possibility for him to make a return despite tension with the producer.
Tom Hardy was reportedly booted off set after exhibiting some unbecoming attitude towards producers Jez Butterworth and David Glasser.
Hardy’s time on “MobLand” may soon be a thing of the past for sure amid reports he was shown the exit.
There have been so many speculations surrounding his fate as street-smart fixer Harry De Souza in the hit crime drama, especially because of reports that he had a falling out with the producers.
However, the latest development suggests he is choosing not to return to the series after enduring a turbulent second season.
According to Page Six, some A-List names have already been approached to replace him, including Idris Elba and Colin Farrell.
The move further complicates things as competing reports earlier suggested he “was not fired” and there were talks of a return to the set, per Variety.
Sources claimed that the “door was not closed,” and they were “creatively working through” a plan to keep him on board for season 3, which has not been granted the go-ahead.
Rumors Of On-Set Tension Continue To Surface
One thing seems to be recurring in the whole upheaval, and it is that there was some form of tension on set.
There were reports that the 48-year-old actor frequently engaged in a power play by refusing to leave his trailer for hours at a time and had a clash with the producers.
However, sources speaking to Page Six note that the blame doesn’t lie entirely with the British star.
Hardy’s frustration was reportedly heavily fueled by structural issues, including script pages from co-creator Jez Butterworth arriving very late before shooting, with the situation sometimes demanding that the cast learn their lines that day. This reportedly led to delays and panic over budgets from the studio.
“You have an A-plus writer who’s got a lot of power and who has a methodology of ‘I don’t know where this is going,’ and then an A-plus actor who is used to knowing the entire arc of a character in a story,” an insider told the news outlet.
“It was all very passive-aggressive and British. It wasn’t even a feud,” they added.
Helen Mirren Shared A Post About Tom Hardy Amid Rumors Of A Rift Between Them
Amid the confusion, Hardy received love from costar Helen Mirren, who plays Maeve Harrigan, the cunning and formidable matriarch of the Harrigan crime dynasty, serving as the power behind the throne to her husband, Conrad Harrigan, played by Pierce Brosnan.
To seemingly quell the rumors surrounding the actor, she shared a picture of Hardy on her social media page and captioned it, “Love you now and always, Helen,” but that has done little to help.
Mirren was said to be another individual who Hardy had clashed with on the show, with multiple reports claiming she was frustrated with his on-set behavior and “arrogance.”
A source who spoke with The Hollywood Reporter also alleged that Hardy, at one point, refused to leave his trailer, leaving Brosnan and Mirren waiting for hours before filming could proceed.
Mirren’s latest post now seems to be her attempt to shut down the allegations of a feud between her and Hardy.
Guy Ritchie Reportedly Working Hard To Keep Tom Hardy On The Series
The show was co-created by Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth and is produced by David Glasser’s 101 Studios, along with MTV Entertainment Studios.
It also has Guy Ritchie as an executive producer who directed several episodes across season 1 and season.
However, it seems Paramount+ is desperate to find common ground with the actor, with Guy Ritchie set to be some form of mediator to ensure that things work out.
“I’m sure Guy is probably pushing David Glasser to make it work,” a production source told Variety. “Guy likes working with Tom.”
Another source told the news outlet that Hardy is “difficult,” but is also a movie star, while others pointed out that tensions could have been calmed earlier than now, but the leaks from insiders claiming he was fired complicated the whole situation.
Tom Hardy’s Exit Would Cost Paramount+ A Whole Lot
It remains to be seen how things turn out and if both parties are able to salvage their working relationship.
However, should Hardy remain insistent on not returning to the show, sources claim it could cost Paramount+ a large sum, as they’ll have to refilm season 2 to explain his absence, mainly because his character is a very essential part of the series.
This could prove a daunting task as filming for the season has since wrapped up, although a concrete premiere date is yet to be announced.
“The role is pivotal to the story, so he can’t just disappear in season three — there has to be some sort of explanation for his absence,” a source told a media outlet. “That means they will have to alter the end of the second series, which has only just been made, and that will cost millions in extra time spent developing, filming, and editing.”
“It’s not clear if Tom will even return to film any new scenes, or whether the producers are just going to have to be incredibly creative in tying up the second series,” they added, noting how, in any case, they’ve “got to start thinking about the overwhelming prospect of delivering series three.”