After weeks of uncertainty, Tom Hardy is reportedly set to return for a potential third series of the hit thriller MobLand. The 48-year-old actor, who plays street-savvy fixer Harry Da Souza on the Paramount series, was at the centre of rumours regarding on-set tensions with cast and crew.
Reports of Feud and Resolution
Early reports suggested Hardy had been axed from the show due to clashes with showrunner Jez Butterworth and producer David Glasser over script disagreements. Allegedly, he also disgruntled co-stars like Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan by holding up filming after refusing to leave his trailer. However, subsequent reports indicated he hadn't been fired, and his future was under consideration. Mirren posted a supportive picture of Hardy to quell feud rumours.
Despite whispers that the production team was scouting A-list replacements, a new twist emerged. After Variety reported that the crew was 'creatively working through' a plan to keep Hardy, Deadline sources now confirm he will return. Although series three is not yet greenlit, if renewed, Hardy's character will likely return after meetings between Hardy and production executives, including executive producer Guy Ritchie.
MobLand's Success and Cast Support
MobLand has been a massive success, amassing 26 million viewers and becoming the platform's second-most-watched original series, making renewal almost certain. Mirren expressed her support for Hardy in a Variety interview, saying: 'I love Tom, I think he's the most amazing actor. Different actors have different processes. I've learnt over the years that some people get to things faster. As long as what's on the screen is fantastic, I'm totally chilled with however someone gets there. Tom is a very special person. I think he's absolutely remarkable. My support of him is genuine and heartfelt.'
Root of the Tensions
According to sources, the issues between Hardy and Butterworth stemmed from Hardy requesting scripts in advance, while Butterworth sometimes delivered them on the day. '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 explained. 'It was all very passive-aggressive and British. It wasn't even a feud.'
Hardy's return would save the production team from costly reshoots for the series two finale, which heavily involves Harry. The insider noted: '[His role] 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.' Metro has reached out to Tom Hardy's representatives and Paramount for comment.
