After weeks of uncertainty, Tom Hardy is reportedly set to return for a possible third series of the hit thriller MobLand on Paramount+. The 48-year-old actor, who plays street-savvy fixer Harry Da Souza, was at the centre of rumours regarding on-set tensions with cast and crew.
Rumours of Axing and Feud
Earlier reports suggested Hardy had been axed from the show due to clashes with showrunner Jez Butterworth and producer David Glasser over script disagreements. It was also claimed that he had upset high-profile co-stars, including Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, by refusing to leave his trailer and holding up filming. However, Mirren later posted a supportive picture of Hardy to quell feud rumours.
Despite whispers that the production team was scouting A-list replacements after the Venom star considered stepping back, new reports indicate a different outcome. Variety reported that the crew was 'creatively working through' a plan to keep Hardy on board, and now Deadline sources confirm he will return.
Resolution Talks and Executive Producer Involvement
Although series three has not yet been greenlit, Hardy and the production team have met to resolve previous issues. Deadline claims executive producer Guy Ritchie was present at the talks to help mend relations. The cast has been fundamental to the show's success, with MobLand attracting 26 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched original series on the platform. A renewal is considered almost guaranteed.
Mirren has publicly expressed her support for Hardy in a new interview with Variety, stating she would work with him again 'in a heartbeat'. She said: '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 Conflict
According to sources, the issues between Hardy and Butterworth stemmed from the actor requesting scripts in advance, while the showrunner sometimes delivered them on the day for the stars to learn their lines. '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 shared. 'It was all very passive-aggressive and British. It wasn't even a feud.'
Impact on Production
Hardy's return will save the production team from having to rework the series two finale, which heavily involves his character. An insider noted that altering the ending would 'cost millions in extra time spent developing, filming and editing'. Metro has reached out to Tom Hardy's representatives and Paramount for comment.
