'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' season 2: Everything we know so far

Donald Glover and Maya Erskine in Mr. and Mrs. Smith
(Image credit: Amazon Studios)

The Prime Video adaptation of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," inspired by the Brangelina film based on a 1996 TV series (based on a book, natch), has received near-universal praise from critics, garnering an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on the opinions of 81 critics. TG's own Malcolm McMillan loved "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." It is, by all accounts, a smashing success.

The spy comedy, starring Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, follows a married couple who aren't actually what they seem. They're spies, paired up by a shadowy organization. They set out to tackle a wide range of espionage-centered tasks in tandem, which as you can imagine proves awkward from time to time given that they're two strangers thrust into matrimony. This is a complete change from the previous "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" conceit, which found a married couple discovering that they were both secretly spies from different organizations. 

The series has clearly struck a chord with critics and viewers alike thanks to its radically different take on the premise, as well as its leads, who have an undeniable amount of chemistry. However, the eight episodes comprising the first season have now all debuted, and without a concrete resolution. This begged the question: will "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" be returning for a second season? 

As of May 12, we now know the answer to that question is yes, as Prime Video confirmed the beloved series will be returning. However, there are still several questions that remain to be answered about the next batch of upcoming episodes. Read on for everything we know about "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" season 2 for the time being. 

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' season 2 release date speculation

Since "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" has officially been given the green light for a second season, all that's left is to figure out when it might actually debut – and what the new season might be about. 

Given the incomplete, cliffhanger-like nature of the final episode of the series, it's easy to see how the story could pick up from there. The finale didn't exactly end with a hunky-dory situation for John and Jane. That's part of the reason it will be able to continue, as that that means little in the grand scheme of TV, where characters pull themselves out of insane predicaments all the time. Showrunner and co-creator Francesca Sloane explained why she felt there's still more fuel in the tank. 

"We wanted to make sure that it felt like a complete story, even with the ending being what it is," she told The Hollywood Reporter of the way the eight episodes tied up.

Sloane added, "That said, we have definitely already started discussing ideas for season two ... in the world we make one. We would never want to make a season two if we couldn’t kick our own asses, in terms of taking down season one," she added.

"So it really depends. We’ll see what life has to offer us, but we definitely have some exciting thoughts."

Previously, Sloane confirmed that there had been "talks" of a second season as well as some "really cool ideas" that fans might see taking place – for instance, she tinks "Atlanta's" Taofik Kolade could be a "great addition" to the show's voice. 

The only question now is whether stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine will reprise their roles going forward, something that isn't exactly clear at this point. Currently, it's unclear whether the pair will return, but it seems Glover, at the very least, will remain as co-creator and executive producer on the series alongside Sloane, who will return as the second season's showrunner.

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' season 2 cast

It's unclear whether Glover or Erskine will return to grace our screens as the titular "couple" that "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" follows when it finally returns to our screens. If so, it's possible we could see the same overall lineup. We could even be in for a situation where the game is completely changed with a new cast and a new take on the story, but it's likely most if not all of these actors will return at this point: 

  • Donald Glover as John Smith
  • Maya Erskine as Jane Smith
  • Alexander Skarsgård as First Other John Smith
  • Eiza González as First Other Jane Smith
  • John Turturro as Eric Shane
  • Paul Dano as Harris Materbach
  • Sharon Horgan as Gavol Martin
  • Billy Campbell as Parker Martin
  • Sarah Paulson as Therapist
  • Parker Posey as Second Other Jane
  • Úrsula Corberó as Runi
  • Wagner Moura as Second Other John
  • Ron Perlman as Toby Hellinger
  • Michaela Coel as Bev
  • Beverly Glover as Denise Smithist

'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' season 2 plot and storylines

Warning: Spoilers for "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" season 2 lie ahead.

What could end up happening in a second season of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" when it debuts? To understand that, we have to take a look back. The show opens by introducing spies John and Jane, who have been paired together by a mysterious espionage agency to pose as a married couple for their missions. As they carry out covert operations and spend more time together, an unlikely romance develops between them. However, both bring plenty of personal baggage to their "relationship," which ends up interfering with their work. 

After failing three critical missions due to their complicated partnership, John and Jane hit the limit of mistakes allowed by their agency. In the first season finale, they receive orders to "terminate" each other as punishment. Feeling backstabbed and betrayed, the pair have an emotional meeting to say their goodbyes before Jane nearly kills John using a hidden explosive.

This leads to an intense shootout, with the pair's formerly idyllic home now left in shambles as they both use their honed spy skills against each other. Eventually John overpowers Jane and injects some truth serum, which forces the pair to confess their genuine love for each other and air their secrets – all this after an entire season of lying to protect themselves.

Just as they reconcile,  John #2 and Jane #2, who they crossed paths with earlier in the season, arrive to assassinate them. With only one bullet between them, John reveals he's been shot while they pair discuss their fantasies of having a future together. As Jane prepares to open the door and shoot Jane #2 to try and save John, gunshots sound before the season ends on a cliffhanger, implying Jane likely succeeded in killing her double and protecting John.

With that in mind, if the original John and Jane are no longer appearing in the series, it's possible the series could continue with a brand new couple. Given that there are multiple different John and Jane pairs, we could see a new start for the second season with a brand new storyline. 

Or it's possible, of course, that both John and Jane survived, in which case the story doesn't have to end here, with the two on the run. However, given the finality with which the last episode seemed to have been written, this might actually be the end of the line for the couple we were introduced to. With rumors that Glover and Erskine will not reprise their roles, a new John and Jane is looking very likely. 

It's hard to say where the show could go next since there are so many possibilities. But while waiting to see how things shake out, fans can check out our list of the best shows like "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." There are plenty of other series to dive into with similar plots, so it's a good time to explore other series while season 2 is in the oven. 

More from Tom's Guide

Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.